Munzur Culture and Nature Festival panels address language, assimilation and Alevi rights

The 24th Munzur Culture and Nature Festival in Turkey continued with a series of panels that focused on the preservation of language, ecology and Alevi cultural identity. On the second day a panel titled “Do not forget your language, faith and path” was moderated by researcher Selman Yeşilgöz and featured Zeynel Kete, co‑chair of the Democratic Alevi Associations, Mustafa Aslan, president of the Alevi Bektaşi Federation, and other speakers. They discussed historical Ottoman and republican policies that suppressed Alevi belief and Kurdish language, calling for renewed protection of linguistic and cultural heritage.

A separate panel at Munzur Gözeleri, chaired by Ali Kandil, brought together Ovacık mayor Mustafa Sarıgül, educator Hıdır Eren, ABF president Mustafa Aslan and activist Gülender Batmaz. Participants condemned centuries‑long assimilation campaigns, cited the 1993 Madımak massacre, and urged support for mother‑tongue education and ecological stewardship.

Both sessions emphasized that “our language, culture and belief have been assimilated for a century” and urged collective action to safeguard the region’s linguistic and religious diversity.