DEM Party Calls for Lifting Restrictions on Kurdish Language Ahead of International Mother Language Day

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) reaffirmed its stance on linguistic rights Thursday, as spokesperson Aysegul Dogan urged authorities to remove obstacles facing the Kurdish language and end restrictions on mother-tongue use in Turkey.

Speaking at a press conference, Dogan said prohibitions on native languages (or mother tongues) contradict fundamental rights and freedoms, stressing that reducing tensions requires greater cultural recognition. “If the Kurds and the Kurdish language were not banned, the situation would not be like this,” she said.

Her remarks came two days before International Mother Language Day, observed annually on Feb. 21 and designated by UNESCO to promote linguistic and cultural diversity worldwide.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish Language Movement Association (HEZKURD) reported that volunteers have been stationed outside schools and in public squares across Kurdish-majority areas to raise awareness about enrollment in Kurdish-language elective courses. The group said many families were unaware such classes were available, citing shortcomings in the application process.

HEZKURD has formally requested that the Ministry of National Education of Turkey extend the registration deadline to March 2. The organization’s outreach campaign included distributing application forms directly to parents and students and hosting public performances by Kurdish artists to promote mother-tongue education.

Demand for Kurdish classes has risen steadily. DILKURD Executive Director Mehmet Salih Ozturk told Kurdistan24 that interest in learning Kurdish has increased by roughly 60 percent, driven by children’s desire to study in their native language and families’ efforts to preserve their cultural identity.

Parents participating in the campaign said they often learned about the courses through volunteers rather than school administrations and called for improved communication. “We want our children to study in Kurdish,” several families said.