JUSTICE FOR KURDS INC

IN THE ARENA OF ADDITIONAL EVENTS FOR JUSTICE FOR KURDS: IN MARCH, JUSTICE FOR KURDS HOSTED THE PREMIERE IN CALIFORNIA OF THE FILM, SISTERS IN ARMS, BY CAROLINE FOUREST. THIS FILM HIGHLIGHTS THE FEMINIST RESISTANCE OF KURDISH FIGHTERS, AND THEIR INTERNATIONAL COMPANIONS. IN THE FICTIONAL FILM, AN ALL-FEMALE INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE LIBERATES VILLAGES FROM ISIS AND SAVES A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CAPTIVITY. THE FILM WAS PRESENTED AT THE AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE IN LOS ANGELES AND WAS PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AND THE FRENCH EMBASSY IN THE UNITED STATES. WITH THE SUPPORT OF JUSTICE FOR KURDS, TICKETS WERE FREE TO THE PUBLIC AND STUDENTS WERE GIVEN PRIORITY ACCESS. THE EVENT WAS FULL AND A PERFECT WAY TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY. ON MARCH 29, JUSTICE FOR KURDS SUPPORTED AND PARTICIPATED IN THE ANNUAL NEWROZ RECEPTION IN WASHINGTON DC. AT THIS EVENT, KURDISH GROUPS AND AMBASSADORS JOINED WITH LEADERS OF WASHINGTON'S INTELLECTUAL COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE KURDISH CULTURE, THE NEW YEAR, AND THE KURDISH-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP.JUSTICE FOR KURDS PARTICIPATED IN SUPPORTING THE SEPTEMBER EVENT AT THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS WITH GENERAL MAZLOUM ABDI, COMMANDER OF THE SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES. HE GAVE A CRITICAL BRIEFING OF THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND FOR THE KURDS IN NORTHEAST SYRIA AND THE CHANGING GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION IN THE REGION, INCLUDING THE RAPPROCHEMENT BY MANY STATES WITH THE DAMASCUS REGIME, SDF'S RELATIONSHIP WITH U.S. AND THE FUTURE OF KURDS IN THE REGION. IN OCTOBER, JUSTICE FOR KURDS SUPPORTED THE KURDISH CULTURAL CENTER FILM FESTIVAL AT THE HISTORIC VILLAGE EAST BY ANGELIKA THEATER. THE FESTIVAL FEATURES FILMS PRODUCED, DIRECTED, STARRING, OR FEATURING KURDISH STORIES AND PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE KURDISH DIASPORA. KURDISH AUTHORS, PAINTERS, MUSICIANS, AND DANCERS PERFORM THROUGHOUT THE EVENT. IN DECEMBER 2022, JUSTICE FOR KURDS PARTICIPATED AND SUPPORTED A SPECIAL PROGRAM AND DINNER EVENT IN NASHVILLE WITH THE MAYOR JOHN COOPER AND THE TENNESSEE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO PROMOTE KURDISH-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP. NASHVILLE IS HOME TO THE LARGEST COMMUNITY OF KURDS IN THE UNITED STATES. AT THIS EVENT, THE NASHVILLE METRO COUNCIL UNVEILED A HISTORICAL MARKER TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE KURDISH DIASPORA TO THE CITY'S HISTORY AND CULTURE. THE CEREMONY TO UNVEIL THE PLAQUE WAS ATTENDED BY MEMBERS OF THE KURDISH COMMUNITY AS WELL AS MAYOR JOHN COOPER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SISTER CITIES OF NASHVILLE, WHICH WAS IN TALKS WITH ERBIL ON A SISTER-CITY ARRANGEMENT. THIS WAS THE FIRST HISTORICAL MARKER IN NORTH AMERICA TO HIGHLIGHT KURDS WHO HAVE MADE THEIR HOME IN THE USA. SINCE THIS DINNER, ERBIL AND NASHVILLE OFFICIALLY BECAME SISTER-CITIES AND THIS EVENT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN CEMENTING SUPPORT FOR THIS INITIATIVE.