Chaussée de Wavre 83, 1050 Ixelles
Abdullah Öcalan was abducted on February 15, 1999, as part of an international plot. He is considered the leading strategist and the most prominent political figure of the Kurdish freedom movement. While in solitary confinement at Imrali Island Prison, he wrote more than ten books that transformed Kurdish politics and beyond. He speaks for the people's aspirations for freedom from political and cultural oppression, as well as for democracy and peace. His ideas have inspired people from Kurdistan to other parts and struggles of the world. From his prison cell, he started and is leading the peace process and the search for a democratic solution last year. The Sociology of Freedom is the third volume in a series of five works titled The Manifesto of Democratic Civilization. In it, he revisits the origins of human culture to offer perspectives on twenty-first-century issues and explore potential solutions. He argues that industrialism, capitalism, and the nation-state cannot be overcome within the confines of a socialist context. At this event, we will read parts of Öcalan's sociological and political analyses to establish a theoretical foundation for understanding the problem of the state and the solution for society. We will read different sections in smaller groups and then discuss them as a whole. Our main goal is to generate interest and excitement about discussing and sharing thoughts on the paradigm. This could lead to forming a reading group to continue reading together or planning a second event focusing on the concrete proposal of building democratic confederalism. Entry is free.
