Interview with Mr. Arif Ramadan

SEMAKURD-TRANSLATION- ALHAM
At the beginning of the interview welcomed Mr. Tariq Hammou the audience and said: I am at the beginning of the meeting, welcoming Mr. Aref Ramadan official Sema institution of culture and arts in Dubai. 

Mr. Aref welcoming you at the outset, the viewers would like to know identify Sema Foundation for Culture and Arts? 

O-why this institution in a country such as the United Arab Emirates? 

- Yes, in fact, in the United Arab Emirates there is Kurdish community numbering over 1500 people, At the outset we meet with our difficulties when we celebrate the holidays Novruz and national events as well as through the collection of those people that did not have an office or center for cooperation among themselves and mixing in general. As established in the UAE, there is no law to establish a community or the opening Office of the community. That is why we thought of Foundation on the topic of cultural art. It got the license official, and through the commercial register, and set up a Web site on the Internet. This web site was a way to communicate with us as kurd both big business or in the offices behind. The way to deal with each other as well as the reason for communication and acquaintance, this first point, the second point is the issue of choosing the place of the institution in Dubai. The fact that we have chosen Dubai has become the cultural capital of the Arabs as a media city in Dubai (Media City). I believe that there is currently more than 500 media institution in this city. We thought as Kurd that we are able to have access to the city due to the presence of more than 200 spaces and enter the world as the world enters through, the mostly Arab satellite channels. And are very keen to reach Arab Thought and the Arab cultured, and able to reach everyone, briefly means definition the Kurdish issue to Arab intellectual. 

O - This means the most important objectives of the Foundation and the reasons for conducting the onus and Founder, what are the most prominent activities of the institution? 

- We talked about the institution and the goals for which we strive are the deployment issue between Kurdish and Arab intellectuals to interact with them, as well as the definition of the Kurdish issue globally. On the other hand interest in the culture of the Kurdish printing headquarters were printing books and poetry books and translated some of the Kurdish to Arabic and vice versa. And the production of works of art recorder and CD. 
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For activities that we have carried out so far consisted of printing a book on the life of novelist and political Kurdish (Osman Sabri) in Kurdish language and we also printing office was for the poet Evin Shkaki, named convoy's rain. Now there is a poetry book in the Kurdish language was also of poet (Aziz Gmjvin) was under printing. 
For Folklore and Art Kurdish the Foundation also properly taken within interests in this area we have more than once brought all Kurdish technical teams to the United Arab Emirates on many occasions, These teams offer wonderful tableau of Kurdish folklore and art to the masses and the Arab world, as happened in the Dubai shopping festival. So that the world cans knowledge the folklore Kurdish dress, as well as Kurdish folklore dances. I think that more than a million people from around the world attended the festival. It focused on informing the UAE team Kurdish broadcast some footage of Kurdish Aldabka live. The team had focused the attention of the people took the first figure in terms of public demand, because we have a good publicity and information in preparation for this occasion. 
We have registered a dialogue on television about the problem of the Kurdish issue in the Arab cultured, Dialogue conducted by Dr. Alaealden Abdalrzak Jenko, The guest of the seminar Dr. Ali Shaibi Chief of the Public Information in the United Arab Emirates. Dr. Ahmed Khalil, a teacher at the University of Al Ain, UAE, MR. Imad Mzury representative of the government of Kurdistan in Dubai. We have talked about the Kurdish issue and its dilemma when cultured Arab and duplication felt through this issue. When there is the problem of the Kurds in Turkey are cultured Arab with the Kurds , while when there are in Syria and Iraq, we see a clear antagonism of the Arab intellectual towards issue, In fact, it was a very excellent and is under submission to the production space. 
As the institution of semi-professional training of other cadres of satellites Kurdish television in Dubai and familiarize the world channels. And training in the studios Media City with high technologies, as well as the institution printing of Kurdish flags on 10 thousand pens, frankly, there are many other activities do not remember. 

Q - You pointed to the Arab and said that there are Arab brothers to participate in dancing and singing Kurdish and Arab intellectuals engaged to the activities, I want to ask about how the Kurdish cultured approach from? 

- Yes, since the first moment frankly intellectuals Kurds paging daily electronic location and giving us their views, we still wish to present our views. I expect that the success we had by God in a short period of time because we always cooperate with the intellectuals and artists Kurds wherever they may be. For entertainment things I want to mention that there is a video clip and record for artist Reber Wahed in Kurdish language issued under the auspices of the Sema Foundation. It is well known that the artist Reber Wahed sings in Arabic and the institution has tried hard to sing in Kurdish language. Already influenced by that pushed him to sing the Kurdish language and considers this a significant gain that the artist Reber Wahed had large audience among Arab listeners, Thus we can through this artist delivery of Kurdish art to the public. 

Q – Mr. Arif cultured and Kurdish artist complain always lack of funding and support from the institutions in order to grow their business. How do you look at yourself this question? 

- a very important issue and I appeal cross-your channel to every Kurdish businessmen. because the issue is very important, because it actually Kurdish intellectuals are oppressed in this regard, theories as a businessman I would be full-time every day dozens of hours for my work. While full-time tutors have dozens of hours writing not find its way to live. I appeal to the Kurdish businessmen across your channel esteemed and take the opportunity and invite them to cooperate and assist Kurdish artists and writers. 

O-Sema Foundation for Culture and Arts what can progress in this regard? 

Sema Foundation and the limited potential of each month modest activity either printing book or book of poetry or the cassette or video clip. Now we are preparing a video clip for Delnia Kardage.

Q - Those intellectuals who have a desire to print a book of poetry or an art exhibition How can contact you? 

- To Contact us is very simple, either through the telephone or through e-www.semakurd.net location. And the Commission has been studying this book does not hesitate to respond 
- And the answers within 10 to 15 days then begin printing procedures. 

Q - Mr Arif we enter to another the axle, what is the position of the institution than in Kurdistan in general of the conflicting policies and violating human rights both in the north and other parts of Kurdistan. What is the most important work you have to define the Arab people to these violations and the policies that have been living in the United Arab Emirates to what is happening in Kurdistan?

- There is no doubt that we always monitor news in the four parts of Kurdistan. As you can see that the electronic site of Smakurd publishes in Kurdish, Alsouraneh, Arabic and English, the news spread all dialects and try connecting to the media in Dubai, We recall an example in this context: We have revived the memory of the late Sheikh Mashouk Khaznoi in the United Arab Emirates, attended by Arab intellectuals from other countries and some media personalities and turned into a symposium. We manage this tribute, explaining them how this great hero was killed. 
As we prepare a symposium in which we denounced the pressure and Turkish campaign on the channel Rose TV space. It sent letters supported and condemnation of this act to space Rose and the Belgian embassy. 

Q- Mr. Aref What is the most significant obstacles that stand in the way and prevent the implementation of the duties and your activities to the fullest? 

- The most significant obstacles were some comrades arrested by the security authorities in Syria, In addition, some selfishness of some intellectuals brothers and of some of the young Kurdish and something of this nature. 

O-yes always a cultured accuse with selfishness, mean what are your activities in Kurdistan, Does representatives Enterprise in Kurdistan? 

- Yes for Kurdistan have in the Kurdish city representatives and correspondents. In Iraqi Kurdistan we have a formal office in the capital Holer. In Dubai, the main center where huge library of books and includes a variety of books in Arabic, Kurdish, We are trying to deliver these books to requesting through the mail or loan, As we have a semi-official of the Office of the City of Hamburg in Germany, as well as our office in China City (Ito) that the Kurdish community exist in a number of cities, numbering approximately fife hundred people, and this year we celebrated Novruz with some businesses in the city Ito Chinese. This is the first time where Novruz celebration in the State of China. 

O-Do you have in the city of Diyarbakir representatives (Amed) in Northern Kurdistan, for example? 

- Does not, unfortunately, so far there is a God, but will seek through the forthcoming visit to Kurdistan Turkey shortly. 

O- I say this because the city (Amed) became an active field of cultural and artistic value, the Amed annual festival there, for example. Mr. Aref What about members of the Assembly, how one can become a member of your organization, or what the conditions of membership? 

- So far we do not open for the submission of applications for affiliation, because of a single point, namely that the UAE does not allow any form of political activity. Fearful of this institution to become one day a political institution, we have a reservation on this topic. It is under study, but thank God we have in the United Arab Emirates approximately 300 to 400 Friend, liaising with the institution in addition to communication to the four parts of Kurdistan, Even Kurdistan Iran have contact with people of many intellectuals and others. 

- Mr. Arif What is your relations with the Kurdish forces and institutions in Southern Kurdistan, There is the Ministry of Culture, for example, in other parts there are consortia alike. What are these relations? 

- a very strong relationship, There is continuing with all the activities for the Ministry of Culture in Kurdistan region of Iraq and other ministries to the Ministry of Finance and Economy, all accepted invitations from us in a lot of occasions, We have more than once sent trade delegations to reconstruct Kurdistan, founded in collaboration with Mr. Hirsch Tayar Kurdistan union businessmen, there is a good relationship for constructing and media in Kurdistan.

O-What are your future projects in this area, what you intend to do to strengthen the relationship and interdependence, not only with South Kurdistan, but also with other parts? 

- Yes at the level of future projects that we wish to have offices and representative offices in the four parts of Kurdistan. In each of the provinces on the one hand, in second hand I wish that there should be cooperation from both the government of Kurdistan region of Iraq or businessmen with the support of this institution, so that we can print more than one book per month. And the production of more than one work of art per month, the last dream to have our Kurdish space channel in Dubai, so that we are close to the satellite Global Information and Arab intellectuals. So that we can deliver through our message faster and the definition of the Kurdish issue in the form required for educators and the Arab people. In fact, for the division of Kurdish folklore that participated in the Dubai festival has pictures of Emirate citizen participates in Kurdish folklore (Dabka=dance) with the team is carrying Kurdish flag. And hoping help from all of this institution by delivering its message to the world as fully as possible. 

O-How is your relations with the political forces of Kurdistan, and what is required to support your institution may this is a complex subject and somewhat thorny? 

- Yes, we are interested in more cultural and artistic aspect of the media, As I mentioned earlier we are in an Arab country, we very much thanks the President, government and people, as is now allowed us to develop these cultural activities on its territory, invitations to teams to Dubai and the Kurdish administration concerts on national occasions as well as the printing of books. In fact we have Thanksgiving and there is a saying of a friend who said if we were treated in the home as we are treating in Dubai we wouldn’t struggled for the Kurds issue. We respect the extent possible frameworks and laws of this State. 
The data for the various parts of the Kurdish parties to publish position without reservation and without bias for one party over the other, where it found in the pages of the site all the media reaction from Rose, Kurd Sat to Kurdistan, as well as newspapers from different parts and without bias, We are not choosing any idea or any particular political point, and we want to make our Turkish and Persian cadres in order not confining our Arab side alone, they also Kurdish neighbors. They must understand and assimilate the Kurdish history, culture and folklore. 

O-Mr. Aref here let me ask for the Kurdish community in the UAE. How to organize this community better, what are the obstacles to you for organizing the community? 

- Kurdish community in the UAE vary greatly from the community based in Europe, that the process of networking and to live there and not as weak in Europe, For example, the Kurdish community in Europe can live for the assistance provided by European countries, for example, even if they do not work you have certain rights to food, housing and social care. While in the UAE, which does not work can not live there in addition to the four-digit inflation. There is another issue is always the dual always takes hours to the whole day and there was no time to exercise other activities, whether cultural, social or otherwise. Thus there is no act only on Friday, some of the duties of a person, and therefore we find that the interface is mostly via the Internet, There are a lot of young people in the city do not meet the one-only events as Novruz and other national occasions. Therefore, there is difficulty in communicating with each other as well as financial condition and everything related to this thriving. 

Q - I want to ask here about relations with the Arab and civil associations of cultural and artistic associations there in Dubai. I think that there is a team called Team Dubai war always watching them at television Do you mean the relations with these teams? 

- Since the celebrating of the last Shopping Festival till now we have made several attempts to reach teams- ALayalhTeam- Dubai folklore team-there a project to invite these teams to Kurdistan to publicize them. The other subject is important that any team from the Emirates to visit any other country will be with media and will give a major boost to get acquainted with the Kurd in Kurdistan. For information centers have strong relationships with the Sultan Ali Awes foundation and the Foundation of Jumae Magid, and there are some Doctors do not recall their names now to visit Dubai from time to time to examine the books and the development of some print and schemes Arab and Kurdish. 

O-Are there laws in the UAE allow you to get the assistance of progress as is the case in Europe?

- No not in the UAE there are no laws in this form, the existing Institutions such as institution Gomaa – Majed, and Sultan and the state accreditation of two businessmen. Perhaps I was one of the students Sultan Ali Awess was a poet God mercy on him. Now the Sema centered in the Office Sultan Ali Awess, this place was occupied by the Special Bureau, Hired by them and is now the main center for Sema Foundation for Culture and Arts

Q- Yes Mr. Aref at the end of this meeting, the final word and how you will see the future of your institution? 

- I thank you very much for that welcome and hospitality to this meeting, I thank all the technical cadres in space and Rose Kurdish Mesopotamia, the huge media organization, I thank once again the United Arab Emirates government and the people for their wide chest and for not differentiating between Arab and Kurd and interesting in Kurdish thriving and even participating with us in our happiness and grief. And most thanks to you very much. 

- Yes-We thank Mr. Arif Ramadan official institution poison culture and the arts in Dubai and wish you progress in your work in the service of the Kurdish culture and art.