The calls made by Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan during the process have sparked wide public attention and revived hopes for social peace. Yet, many intellectuals and artists criticized the government’s failure to take practical steps toward fulfilling the process’s requirements. They underlined that for peace to be meaningful, society must be an active participant, not a passive observer. 

 

‘CULTURE AND ART MUST ADAPT TO THE NEW LANGUAGE OF PEACE’

 

Painter Abdullah Babat said that culture and art bear a crucial role in shaping and sustaining the process. “This is a process that directly concerns society, and as artists, we have a major responsibility. We need to ask: What should be the method of art in this process? How can it contribute?”

 

Babat stressed artists to look beyond past failures: “If we do not assume responsibility, we cannot fulfil our role or mission. Starting with our mind-set, we need to renew ourselves. We must not operate with the old mentality; instead, we should engage everywhere, in every field, and make contact. The language of the past won’t sustain this process. We need a positive and inclusive language. Culture and art must be the first areas where transformation begins. Our poems, songs, and paintings should align with the spirit of this new era of peace. This is the time for everyone to raise their voice and say, ‘I am part of this process.’”

 

‘KURDS HAVE BECOME A CENTRAL VOICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST’

 

Writer and novelist Faysal Yacan highlighted the Kurdish people’s long struggle and evolving political role: “The Kurdish people have endured great suffering and paid heavy prices, yet they have always sought solution through peace. They knew that rights are earned through struggle, not only for themselves, but for all peoples.”

 

Yacan said: “After nearly fifty years of struggle, Kurds have become a recognized will in the Middle East and a voice for freedom, peace, and equality. Today, Kurds are seen globally as an example of democratic aspiration. The Kurdish people, who have raised the call for peace louder than anyone, are the ones capable of resolving the region’s conflicts.”

 

‘ARTISTS MUST BUILD THE LANGUAGE OF PEACE’

 

According to Yacan, society sees artists as its mirror, and therefore they must lead the way. “Kurdish artists and writers should not be spectators but builders of this process,” said Yacan and added: “We must take a position that amplifies the voice of peace and democracy, through our pens, our voices, and our art. Kurdish literature and art have developed on a revolutionary foundation, and in this new era, we must act with the same moral and political integrity.”

 

‘THE STATE MUST TAKE CONCRETE STEPS’

 

Dengbêj (Traditional Kurdish singer) Meryem Tuncer expressed cautious optimism about the process, saying that peace must be made tangible in everyday life: “My hope is that mothers no longer cry, that no on experiences the pain of the past again. For me, peace will be real when my child can tell me, ‘Mom, I’m going to my Kurdish language class,’ and when I can speak Kurdish at the hospital without hesitation. The state must ensure this, by releasing political prisoners, including Mr. Öcalan, and taking legal steps for Kurdish to become an official language.”

 

She concluded: “I still haven’t received the body of my sister, who joined the PKK and lost her life. The same painful attitude continues. The state must take urgent steps to end this injustice and heal these wounds.”

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut - Ceylan Şahinli