Kirkuk's Hawar Theater Brings Story of Kurdish Genocide to International Stage
Kirkuk's Hawar Theater performed "Salma," a monodrama about the Halabja chemical attacks and Kurdish genocide, at the Amman International Theater Festival. The Kurdish production has been staged in 16 countries and received multiple international awards.
Erbil (Kurdistan 24) – The Hawar Theater Group from Kirkuk represented the Kurdistan Region at the Amman International Theater Festival with the monodrama “Salma,” delivering a performance centered on the tragedies of Halabja, the Kurdish genocide, the Anfal campaign, and the forced displacement of Kurdish communities.
The festival, which opened on November 24 and runs for seven days, features productions from 18 countries. “Salma” is the only entry from the Kurdistan Region. Directed by Nezhad Najm, the play draws deeply from the collective memory of Kurdish suffering and resilience.
Speaking to Kurdistan24 on Thursday, director Nezhad Najm explained that this round’s performance was staged in both Kurdish and Arabic. The monodrama featured Kurdish actor Hawar Fares alongside Amna Abdullah, an actor from Tunisia, forming a bi-national cast tailored for an international Arab audience.
“We delivered the performance successfully and received a very warm reception from the organizers,” Najm said, expressing hope for winning an award at this year’s festival.
Najm emphasized that the monodrama has already been performed in 15 countries and is a joint artistic project between Kurdistan and France. Its narrative focuses on the Halabja chemical attack, the Kurdish genocide, the Anfal campaign, and the mass displacement of Kurdish people. Although the play was originally prepared in Kurdish and English, this edition was adapted into Kurdish and Arabic to suit the festival’s host country.
“Salma” was written by Dilshad Mustafa, with scenography and direction by Nezhad Najm. The production has been staged in 16 countries and has earned multiple international awards throughout its artistic journey.
