The Building Blocks of a New World

Öcalan expresses a series of concepts that in the 21st century are increasingly becoming the building blocks for the political construction of a new world.
Antonio Negri

In a conflict-ridden world that seems to get bleaker every day, there are persons, movements and whole regions that stay optimistic and don’t let anything stop them from defending their ideas and constructing freedom every day. The Kurdistan Freedom Movement may be the most astonishing example in the world today.

Join us for a three-day series of lectures and discussions to discover what motivates, inspires and drives this freedom movement. We will challenge convictions, break conventions and twist our minds around unexpected takes on the big questions of our time.

Day 1: A Series of Concepts: Surprising Twists 

Öcalan and the Kurdish Freedom Movement offer fresh, often surprising perspectives on topics we thought we knew. We will explore questions including: 

• Is mythology just useless superstition?
• Are tribal structures just a relic from a dark past?
• Are women a colony?
• Does capitalism have anything to do with economy at all?

Day 2: Building Blocks: Democratic Confederalism, Jineolojî and the Queen of Sciences

Öcalan and the Kurdish Freedom Movement propose a complete restructuring and rebuilding of science. This includes:

• The establishment of jineolojî—the science of women and life
• A unified social science with a purpose: a sociology of freedom

Day 3: Construction of a New World: Organizing Autonomy, Education, and Self-Defense

After having our world-view shaken for two days, we can move to the obvious question: What are the practical consequences of all these ideas? Which practices do they seek to correct? What practices have emerged from them already? What else can we do?

We will explore:

• The organizational history of freedom movements in the Middle East and elsewhere
• The most inspiring and most problematic aspects of socialism, anarchism, feminism, and ecology
• The possibilities of a future without the state

Meet the Host

Reimar Heider is a physician by training, human rights activist, translator, and editor. For twenty years, he was one of the spokespersons of the International Initiative “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan—Peace in Kurdistan” and one of the main organizers of the Network for an Alternative Quest. He has translated several of Öcalan’s books into German and is a founding member of the Academy of Social Science.

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