THE GERMAN KURDISH CHAPTER – MESOP : FROM YEKKOM TO NEVDEM / YEK-KOM changes its name

ANF – DORTMUND 23.06.2014 – YEK-KOM has changed its name to German Democratic Society Centre (NEV-DEM) – The 20th Congress of the Federation of Kurdish Associations in Germany (YEK-KOM), which is being held today in Dortmund, has decided on a name change of the federation as part of the re-building of Kurdish institutions in Germany under the auspices of the Democratic Kurdish Society Centres. Accordingly the new name of the federation has been changed into the German Democratic Society Centre (NEV-DEM).

The congress is continuing with discussions on the statute of the institution. The Federation of Kurdish Associations in Germany (YEK-KOM) is holding its 20th Congress today in Dortmund with the participation of 700 delegates. In Germany, which has the highest Kurdish population in Europe, the preparations for the new form of institutionalisation have been carried out for the last 3 months by the establishment of Democratic Kurdish Society Centres in localities. This process of re-institutionalisation in Germany under the auspices of the Democratic Kurdish Society Centres will be completed by the Congress of YEK-KOM.

The co-chairs of YEK-KOM, Yüksel Koç and Hamdiye Akbayır made the opening speeches of the congress. Akbayir  said: “We have been active in Germany and in Europe for 20 years. We have organised many activities so far and we have pursued work for institutionalisation. We now have to carry our work to a higher level.”Yuksel Koc talked about the new form of institutionalisation and said: “We have been in a process of change and transformation in the last three months in Germany. We have organised the congresses of Democratic Society Centres all around the country. We will complete this change in this congress. Today we have here the representatives of 300 Kurdish institutions. We will today discuss rebuilding our institution. The period of negative politics is over, and it is time for a positive politics. We will start solving our problems by our own means. We will be a power for a solution in this country”.

 The Congress continues with the reading out of reports.