According to Kurdpress, with the issuance of "Decree No. 13" and increasing debates about the acceptance of linguistic and cultural diversity in Syria, the Kurdish language has again become one of the main axes of cultural and political discussions in this country. Many Kurds hope that this development is the beginning of a new phase for the formalization of Kurdish identity and language in Syrian educational and government institutions. This language was facing marginalization and deprivation for decades.

During the previous Syrian government, the Kurdish language never had an official place in the government structure and its use was mainly limited to oral, social and some limited cultural activities. The lack of specialized academic institutions and the lack of clear legal recognition had prevented the scientific and institutional development of this language.

Political developments after the fall of the former Syrian government have once again raised old questions about national identity, cultural diversity and the place of the Kurdish language in the structure of the new government.

Abdul Hakim Ahmed Muhammad, a Kurdish writer and linguist and the head of the Syrian Kurdistan Writers' Union, described the Kurdish language as "one of the ancient and deep-rooted languages ​​of the Middle East" in an interview with "Anab Baladi" and said that this language has been faced with exclusion and assimilation policies over the past decades; A process that has negatively affected its scientific and institutional development.

He added that the Kurdish language was used only as an oral language among the Kurds for years, while the number of its speakers in the world exceeds 40 million people. According to him, Kurdish is one of the languages ​​that has experienced the most pressure to be removed and transformed, but the deep connection of the Kurdish community with its mother tongue has made it possible to preserve it.

According to this linguist, the roots of the Kurdish language go back to the ancient Pahlavi language and in recent decades, especially with the expansion of writing, publication and production of literary and cultural works in the Kurdish language, its growth has accelerated. He emphasized that during the past 26 years, more space has been provided for the use of the Kurdish language; A language that, according to him, was "not even allowed to be used in the streets."

Language and academic challenges

Despite these developments, experts believe that the Kurdish language still faces major challenges. Abdul Hakim Ahmed Mohammad considered the lack of a single authority and specialized institutions for the scientific development of the Kurdish language as one of the most important obstacles.

He said that the lack of an official Kurdish institution that officially accepts the Kurdish language has caused the weakness of the institutional development of this language. The dispersion of Kurds in several countries has also led to the formation of different dialects, writing methods and educational systems.

According to him, the rules of Kurdish grammar have not yet been compiled in a unified manner and agreed upon by all linguists, and each researcher has compiled grammar and vocabulary based on his knowledge and experience. A problem that has led to differences in educational books, grammar and scientific terms.

He also emphasized that a large part of the Kurds do not have the ability to write in their mother tongue, because they grew up in countries whose official languages ​​were Arabic, Turkish or other languages; From his point of view, this is one of the biggest challenges of the Kurdish language.

The need to establish a Kurdish language academy

Abdul Hakim Ahmed Mohammad believes that the scientific development of the Kurdish language requires the creation of a "single culture" with the presence of linguists and experts from different Kurdish regions and dialects.

He emphasized that the success of any language project depends on the existence of an official or government institution that can support experts in the scientific, financial and executive fields; An institution that is responsible for developing common rules, unifying scientific and literary terms and designing comprehensive educational programs.

At the same time, he considered the variety of dialects not a sign of weakness, but a part of the richness of the Kurdish language, but he warned that the multiplicity of writing methods and differences in curricula have made the language standardization process difficult.

The effect of the lack of specialized institutions

The experts who talked to "Anab Baladi" magazine believe that the lack of academic and specialized institutions during the past decades; Both in the field of scientific research and in the field of training of specialists, it has had a direct impact on the development of the Kurdish language.

Abdul Hakim Ahmed Mohammad said that despite its historical background, the Kurdish language is still "relatively young" academically. He considered the lack of universities and specialized centers as the main reason for the weakness in the development of Kurdish grammar, educational texts and scientific studies.

He added that Kurdish literature continues to grow, but the field of scientific research and linguistics remains weak.

Kurdish language and formal education

Experts emphasize that the entry of the Kurdish language into official educational and research institutions is one of the most important steps for its preservation and development.

Abdul Hakim Ahmad Mohammad said that teaching Kurdish language in schools and universities makes it possible for children to learn to read and write in their mother tongue "without fear". According to him, the presence of the Kurdish language in official educational programs will provide the basis for its scientific and academic development and will make it beyond the level of individual efforts.

He also emphasized that official recognition guarantees the continuity and dynamism of the Kurdish language and prevents it from being limited to social and cultural fields.

Commandment 13; Between hope and caution

As debates over the future of cultural diversity in Syria mount, Decree No. 13 has become a point of hope for many Kurds, although assessments of its actual impact vary.

Abdul Hakim Ahmad Mohammad considered this decree a "positive beginning" to build a democratic Syria that accepts all languages, ethnicities and religions. He said that this decree could be the basis for the inclusion of the Kurdish language in the future constitution of Syria.

However, he warned that it would not be enough if the decree remained merely written; Because the executive approvals may be changed or revoked, but the rights established in the constitution will last longer.

Mohammad Hassan also considered the future of the Kurdish language in Syria to be dependent on the level of adherence of the new government to the concept of cultural and linguistic diversity within the framework of citizenship, which should replace the previous policies of exclusion and denial.

Javan Youssef also emphasized that the issue of the Kurdish language should not be seen as a political issue, but rather a part of the process of rebuilding Syria's identity based on cultural and linguistic diversity.

In a situation where Syria has entered a new phase of political developments, many Kurds hope that the Kurdish language will find a wider place in the official, educational and cultural institutions of the country after decades of marginalization. However, the future of this process still depends on the structure of the new Syrian government and how it faces the issue of cultural diversity and linguistic rights.