Bedran Mardini: Promoting Coexistence Through Music
Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 5:46 pmDUHOK, Kurdistan Region – Bedran Mardini attracts both praise and criticism for bringing together Kurdish and Turkish musicians on his popular radio show in Turkey.
The singer and songwriter, who hails from the city of Mardin in southeastern Turkey, says his aim has always been to preserve and revive Kurdish culture, and that on his show he tries to promote peaceful coexistence between Turks and Kurds.
At a recent concert in Duhok, to celebrate the 44th anniversary of Duhok being named a province, Mardini brought along well-known Turkish singer, Ceylan.
“I have plans to bring more musicians to southern (Iraqi) Kurdistan ,” he says. “We have to translate the message of coexistence into practice.” He says he wants art to become “a bridge between artists” on both sides of the border between Turkish and Iraqi Kurdistan.
Mardini, 35, hosts a music show on TRT6 channel, which was launched as part of the Turkish government’s opening to the country’s large Kurdish community, at a time when Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) are engaged in a landmark peace process to end three decades of conflict.
The channel has managed to stride forward in its short life, but some critics say its attempt is to “Turkify” Kurdish music. Mardini has even been labeled by critics as “a servant of the Turkish government.”
But he says that people are free to air their opinion, and that criticism has not affected the popularity of his show.
“People are free in their opinion and what they say. I have my own opinion,” he told Rudaw at Duhok’s iconic Jiyan Hotel. “I reject all these accusations. A large number of people follow my show and I have not heard criticism from them.”
Thanks to political stability and government efforts to promote tourism, the Kurdistan Region attracts concerts by Kurdish, Arab and Iranian singers from across the globe, pulling in fans from neighboring countries who sometimes come just for the concerts.
Mardini believes that openness toward foreign artists is a step in the right direction.
“This approach brings Kurdish music and musicians closer to each other,” he says.
Though he sings in the dialect of the Duhok area, Mardini’s fame reaches many other Kurdish cities.
“I have plans to stage concerts in more cities of Kurdistan, with other singers,” he says, adding it is too early to give details.
In Kurdistan, Mardini managed to sign a number of contracts with local companies to appear in commercial videos. He says that several Turkish channels have approached him with job offers for shows similar to the one he hosts now, but he has turned them down.
However, he says he is happy to accept a music show on any channel based in the autonomous Kurdistan Region.
“I will be happy to consider such an offer, if my demands are considered as to how the show should be, particularly in terms of technical and musical aspects,” he says. “I will be happy to have a professional show and please all Kurdish viewers.”
Mardini, whose birthplace has been affected by the 30-year war for greater Kurdish rights that has killed an estimated 40,000 people, says that he welcomes the PKK peace process with Ankara, and urges other musicians to show their support.
“I am very happy that the process has started,” he says. “Musicians, artists, and intellectuals must support the peace talks; enough with war and killing!”
The singer and songwriter, who hails from the city of Mardin in southeastern Turkey, says his aim has always been to preserve and revive Kurdish culture, and that on his show he tries to promote peaceful coexistence between Turks and Kurds.
At a recent concert in Duhok, to celebrate the 44th anniversary of Duhok being named a province, Mardini brought along well-known Turkish singer, Ceylan.
“I have plans to bring more musicians to southern (Iraqi) Kurdistan ,” he says. “We have to translate the message of coexistence into practice.” He says he wants art to become “a bridge between artists” on both sides of the border between Turkish and Iraqi Kurdistan.
Mardini, 35, hosts a music show on TRT6 channel, which was launched as part of the Turkish government’s opening to the country’s large Kurdish community, at a time when Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) are engaged in a landmark peace process to end three decades of conflict.
The channel has managed to stride forward in its short life, but some critics say its attempt is to “Turkify” Kurdish music. Mardini has even been labeled by critics as “a servant of the Turkish government.”
But he says that people are free to air their opinion, and that criticism has not affected the popularity of his show.
“People are free in their opinion and what they say. I have my own opinion,” he told Rudaw at Duhok’s iconic Jiyan Hotel. “I reject all these accusations. A large number of people follow my show and I have not heard criticism from them.”
Thanks to political stability and government efforts to promote tourism, the Kurdistan Region attracts concerts by Kurdish, Arab and Iranian singers from across the globe, pulling in fans from neighboring countries who sometimes come just for the concerts.
Mardini believes that openness toward foreign artists is a step in the right direction.
“This approach brings Kurdish music and musicians closer to each other,” he says.
Though he sings in the dialect of the Duhok area, Mardini’s fame reaches many other Kurdish cities.
“I have plans to stage concerts in more cities of Kurdistan, with other singers,” he says, adding it is too early to give details.
In Kurdistan, Mardini managed to sign a number of contracts with local companies to appear in commercial videos. He says that several Turkish channels have approached him with job offers for shows similar to the one he hosts now, but he has turned them down.
However, he says he is happy to accept a music show on any channel based in the autonomous Kurdistan Region.
“I will be happy to consider such an offer, if my demands are considered as to how the show should be, particularly in terms of technical and musical aspects,” he says. “I will be happy to have a professional show and please all Kurdish viewers.”
Mardini, whose birthplace has been affected by the 30-year war for greater Kurdish rights that has killed an estimated 40,000 people, says that he welcomes the PKK peace process with Ankara, and urges other musicians to show their support.
“I am very happy that the process has started,” he says. “Musicians, artists, and intellectuals must support the peace talks; enough with war and killing!”