THIS year the England Alevi Cultural Centre and Cemevi (IAKM), with be holding their 10th Alevi Festival virtually. Having been bring the members of the community together for the past 9 year this year due to the coronavirus pandemic they will taking the festival into everyone homes.
Zeynel Akdogan
This year IKAM has chosen the main theme of this year’s festival as “Justice and
Woman”. As violence against woman’s day by day continues, millions of woman’s have taken to the street for the search of their rights.
In a statement IKAM chair Zeynel Akdogan said: “Alevism is always against all kind of violence and empowers women. We live in a world where women are harassed on the streets, on public transports and at work. Alevism wants to contribute to the solution of this problem and that is the most important responsibility for Alevism.
On the other hand, the problem of injustice is the most important problem in our age.
Violence against women’s, femicide are problems of justice at the same time. Unfortunately, every day we see the fact that the justice system works in favour of the strong, not the right in our country and all over the world. Alevis are still seeking justice in the Sivas, Gazi, Maraş, Çorum Massacres and dozens of others still await to see this justice served. The reason that violence against women, massacres and oppression against Alevis have gone unpunished is that the justice system is failing or even destroyed.
In previous festivals, together with everyone who regards the world with love, peace, equality and brotherhood, united their hearts with the traditional Alevi Festival, where they mingled with joy, singing songs. The festival, which will be published online this year, will host many valuable artists, academics, journalists, writers and politicians and contribute to the world of Alevis and action in line with the universal values of the world.”
