New World Embassy: Rojava


2016

November 26-27, 2016
Oslo City Hall, Norway

Besides large-scale summits, the New World Summit also develops embassies in collaboration with stateless states, autonomist groups, and blacklisted political organizations, entitled New World Embassies. The second edition, titled New World Embassy: Rojava, was a temporary embassy constructed in the Oslo City Hall, which represented, through cultural means, the ideals of “stateless democracy” as developed by the Democratic Self-Administration of Rojava (northern Syria).

The embassy consisted of a large-scale, oval shaped architectural structure, designed as an “ideological planetarium,” departing from the universalist symbols of different political organizations in the Democratic Self-Administration of Rojava. Instead of orienting on traditional notions of statehood, the project took the shape of a stateless embassy for a stateless democracy: aiming to contribute to a transdemocratic politics beyond the traditional boundaries of the nation-state.

The Embassy operated for two consecutive days bringing representatives from Rojava together with international politicians, diplomats, academics, journalists, students, and artists, with contributions by co-ambassadors Asya Abdullah (Co-Chair of the Democratic Union Party, PYD), Sînem Mohammed (European Representative of the Democratic Self-Administration of Rojava), Salih Muslim (Co-Chair of the Democratic Union Party, PYD), Bassam Said Ishak (President of the Syriac National Council, SNC), and Aldar Xalîl (Executive Council Member of the Movement for a Democratic Society, Tev-Dem) as well as by Moussa Ag Assarid (Free Azawad), Kate Shea Baird (Barcelona en Comú), Macer Gifford (People's Protection Units, YPG), Hanne Sophie Greve (Judge at the Gulating High Court of Western Norway, and former judge at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg), Despina Koutsoumba (The Front of the Greek Anticapitalist Left, ANTARSYA), Lorenzo Marsili (DiEM25 / European Alternatives), Katerin Mendez (Feminist Initiative!), Runar Myrnes Balto (Sámi Parliament), Laura Raicovich (Queens Museum), Shela Sheikh (Goldsmiths, University of London), Sana Soleman Elmansouri (Amazigh World Congress), Kariane Westrheim (University of Bergen). The Embassy was inaugurated by Marianne Borgen (Mayor of the City of Oslo), Seher Aydar (Solidarity with Kurdistan) and Refik Gefur (Kurdish National Congress, KNK), and chaired by Joost Jongerden (University of Wageningen), Maria Hlavajova (BAK, basis voor actuele kunst Utrecht), and Radha D’Souza (Westminster University).

  • Project by:

    The Democratic Self-Administration of Rojava and Studio Jonas Staal


  • Project Team:

    Seher Aydar, Refîk Gefur, Sheruan Hassan, Amina Osse, Jonas Staal, and Adem Uzun (concept); After Belonging Agency (curators); Bo Krister Wallström and Kristine Jærn Pilgaard (KORO/URO) (co-producers); Younes Bouadi (producer); Renee In der Maur (program and project coordinator); Hanna Dencik Petersson (director Oslo Architecture Triennial); Paul Kuipers (architect); Remco van Bladel (graphic designer); Landstra & de Vries (construction coordinators); Riwi Collotype (printer); Stijn Toonen (architectural modeller); Ruben Hamelink (film maker); Ernie Buts (photographer); Aviva Stein (communication officer); Saeed Seevan (translator); Cihad Hammy (subtitler); Aryan and Baban Arrarat (caterers); Nabaz Mukiryani (musician); Rozerin Algunerhan, Aydn Dêrik, Serbest Ali, and Rotin Necar (volunteer coordinators); Amanj Abdollahi, Mizgin Algunerhan, Eivar Ali, Xalîl Ali, Mirna d'Oliveira, Badî Hussein, Mohammed Hussein, Mustafa Ibish, Agit Meryemoglu, Adnan Mustafa, Mohammed Said Aziz, Aras Taalo (project assistants)


  • Commissioned by:

    Oslo Architecture Triennial


  • Co-Produced by:

    KORO Public Art Norway / URO


  • Publication:


New World Embassy: Rojava


2016



November 26-27, 2016
Oslo City Hall, Norway

Besides large-scale summits, the New World Summit also develops embassies in collaboration with stateless states, autonomist groups, and blacklisted political organizations, entitled New World Embassies. The second edition, titled New World Embassy: Rojava, was a temporary embassy constructed in the Oslo City Hall, which represented, through cultural means, the ideals of “stateless democracy” as developed by the Democratic Self-Administration of Rojava (northern Syria).

The embassy consisted of a large-scale, oval shaped architectural structure, designed as an “ideological planetarium,” departing from the universalist symbols of different political organizations in the Democratic Self-Administration of Rojava. Instead of orienting on traditional notions of statehood, the project took the shape of a stateless embassy for a stateless democracy: aiming to contribute to a transdemocratic politics beyond the traditional boundaries of the nation-state.

The Embassy operated for two consecutive days bringing representatives from Rojava together with international politicians, diplomats, academics, journalists, students, and artists, with contributions by co-ambassadors Asya Abdullah (Co-Chair of the Democratic Union Party, PYD), Sînem Mohammed (European Representative of the Democratic Self-Administration of Rojava), Salih Muslim (Co-Chair of the Democratic Union Party, PYD), Bassam Said Ishak (President of the Syriac National Council, SNC), and Aldar Xalîl (Executive Council Member of the Movement for a Democratic Society, Tev-Dem) as well as by Moussa Ag Assarid (Free Azawad), Kate Shea Baird (Barcelona en Comú), Macer Gifford (People's Protection Units, YPG), Hanne Sophie Greve (Judge at the Gulating High Court of Western Norway, and former judge at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg), Despina Koutsoumba (The Front of the Greek Anticapitalist Left, ANTARSYA), Lorenzo Marsili (DiEM25 / European Alternatives), Katerin Mendez (Feminist Initiative!), Runar Myrnes Balto (Sámi Parliament), Laura Raicovich (Queens Museum), Shela Sheikh (Goldsmiths, University of London), Sana Soleman Elmansouri (Amazigh World Congress), Kariane Westrheim (University of Bergen). The Embassy was inaugurated by Marianne Borgen (Mayor of the City of Oslo), Seher Aydar (Solidarity with Kurdistan) and Refik Gefur (Kurdish National Congress, KNK), and chaired by Joost Jongerden (University of Wageningen), Maria Hlavajova (BAK, basis voor actuele kunst Utrecht), and Radha D’Souza (Westminster University).

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