ANKARA - Dilan Karaman, who graduated from the Kurdish language course, said: ‘’We learned not only our language, but also our culture.’’ Dilan Güvenç, on the other hand, emphasized that Kurdish should be the language of education and stated: ‘’Persons who speak their language are exposed to attacks. Language is one of the fundamental rights. Kurdish is also expressed as an ‘unknown language’ officially and in the parliament’’.

 

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Language, Culture, Art, Sports and Education Policies Commission and Mesopotamia Language and Culture Research Association (MED-DER) started a Kurdish language course in order to draw attention to the assimilation policies on Kurdish and increase Kurdish speaking on the occasion of 21 February International Mother Language Day. Parliamentarians, executives and employees participated in the course. On October 12, the graduates of the course received their language certificates at a ceremony held at HDP Headquarters.

HDP Advisor Dilan Karaman and MED-DER executive Dilan Güvenç talked about the course.

 

‘We learned not only our language, but also our culture’

 

Dilan Karaman, one of the trainees, said that they are included in the course because it is important to learn the mother tongue. Emphasizing that the course was good and efficient, Dilan stated: ‘’After the course, our Kurdish became more fluent. We learned not only our language but also our culture. We also learned new things about our culture. I believe that we will continue this and take our Kurdish language to a advanced level’’.

 

‘When you start thinking in your own language, you learn your language’

 

Stating that the courses are held online due to the pandemic, Dilan noted that all party employees, from MPs to deputy advisors, from members of the Central Executive Boar to members of the Party Council are included in the course. Sharing information about the content of the course, Dilan said: ‘’We were reading books in Kurdish, we were translating Kurdish words. We learned that thinking in Kurdish is the most important thing. When you start thinking in your own language, you learn your language. The course progresses from the first level to the fourth level. We have finished the third level, after that we will move on to the fourth level. Then we will reach the level of instructor’’.

 

‘We want Kurdish to be the language of education’

 

MED-DER executive Dilan Güvenç emphasized that they decided to carry out a joint work as MED-DER and HDP on February 21, International Mother Language Day. Dilan stated that the aim of this study was to learn the mother tongue and said: ‘’Intense attacks on Kurdish continue. Persons who speak their language are exposed to attacks. Language is one of the fundamental rights. Kurdish is also expressed as an ‘unknown language’ officially and in the parliament. We want Kurdish to be the official and language of education’’.

 

‘They started to learn their language’

 

Dilan stated that continuing education online has turned into an advantage and noted that this is an opportunity for them. Stating that the trainees have such a strong participation, Dilan said: ‘’Students who complete one level move on to the next level. This is very important for the language. This course made us very happy. It was a very efficient course for friends who had to live in places far from their hometown, language and culture. They began to learn their language. This gives morale and enthusiasm. Not knowing mother tongue is seen as a shame, but we want to remove this shame.’’

 

‘Learning is not enough, it is necessary to pour it into life’

 

Dilan stated that learning and speaking Kurdish is not enough, and that all social institutions should carry out their work in Kurdish. Stating that it is wrong to carry out works in Turkish or another language in a place where the society speaks Kurdish, Dilan continued: ‘’This duty is not only the duty of MED-DER, but whatever institution it is, it should provide works and services in the mother tongue. This needs attention. It is not enough to learn, it is necessary to pour it into life.’’