A new center dedicated to empowering young women was inaugurated on Monday in Hasakah, northern Syria, an area predominantly controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes the Kurdish YPG.
The newly opened Zilan Besê Young Women’s Union Center aims to provide young women with opportunities to develop leadership skills and foster knowledge-sharing through courses in Kurdish and English languages, as well as training in arts such as dance, drama, and music.
The inauguration drew dozens of attendees who gathered to witness the opening ceremony. The center’s walls were adorned with photographs of women and children who lost their lives to violence, including Mahsa Amini, Moumita Debnath, Nermin Farho, and Narin Güran.
Special tributes were paid to women who sacrificed their lives for freedom, including Baloch “Fidayee” Zilan Kurd (Mahal Baloch), Şehit Sara Tolheldan, Şehit Ruken Zelal, and Şehit Nagihan Akarsel.
The ceremony began with a moment of silence in remembrance of the martyrs of the revolution. Şehit (Martyr) Zilan’s mother—whose daughter, a nurse-turned-freedom fighter, carried out a self-sacrificial attack against Turkish soldiers in 1996, becoming a symbol of Kurdish resistance—delivered an emotional speech. “This center will help fulfill Zilan’s dreams of empowering women and advancing their struggle,” she said.
Halime Zana, a member of the Young Women’s Union, followed with a speech dedicating the center to “Leader APO, the martyrs, freedom-loving people, and women of the world.” She highlighted the significance of opening the center on the anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death and the Jin Jiyan Azadi uprisings, stressing its symbolic importance for women’s rights.
Zana also spoke about the ongoing global struggle of women and youth against capitalist and patriarchal systems, describing it as an “unprecedented war.” She praised women’s leadership in this fight, referencing Baloch fighter Zilan Kurd (Mahal Baloch) as an inspirational figure. “Mahal Baloch delivered a significant blow to patriarchal forces, embodying the same resistance that Martyr Zilan stood for,” Zana said.
She further emphasized how the fight for freedom transcends borders, uniting the struggles of women in Kurdistan and Balochistan. “Women like Zilan lead the fight against oppression, not just in Kurdistan but also in Balochistan,” she said, urging the younger generation to “carry forward the legacy of these martyrs.”
The event also featured a theater performance titled “Women’s Revenge and Rebirth,” depicting the struggle of women against oppression. The official inauguration was led by Şehit Zilan’s mother and concluded with a traditional halay dance performed by young women in celebration.