Kurdish artist Beşer Şahin reunited with his people in Diyarbakır after a 30-year hiatus.

Taking the stage as part of the 2nd Peyas Women’s Labor Gathering and Culture Festival, Şahin addressed the city he had returned to after many years with an emotional speech.

“I greet you with longing, a warm heart, and respect. Welcome. I missed you so much. We missed our homeland so much. Today I am very excited. Today I am very happy. I am on my land, among my people. My head is held high, my respectful community. With respect and reverence, hello Diyarbakır. Diyarbakır of hearts, capital of hearts, capital of my homeland.”

“Our only crime was our language, our culture, our identity”

Returning to Diyarbakır after a long exile, the artist expressed his longing in his speech on stage with these words: “We were apart for 30 years, for no reason, for no fault of our own.

Our only crime was our language, our culture, our identity. You resisted, we resisted. We came together, and we will achieve our goal.”

“I listen to the voices of our wise men”

Continuing his speech, Beşer Şahin expressed his love for Diyarbakır by mentioning the names that left deep impressions on the memory of the Kurdish people:

“The first day I came to Diyarbakır, I couldn’t sleep until morning. One side of me was filled with excitement, the other with pain. I am listening to the voice of our wise man Musa Anter, I am listening to the voice of Vedat Aydın, I am listening to the voice of Tahir Elçi in your presence.”

“I greet you with the longing of thousands of migrants”

The artist continued his speech by stating that he carries not only his own longing, but also that of thousands of Kurds living abroad: “Today, I cannot speak only on my own behalf. I greet you with the longing of thousands of our people who are migrants, our people who are abroad and long for their homeland.”

Beşer Şahin’s musical journey

Born in 1969 in the village of Kuru Köprü in the Zara district of Sivas, Beşer Şahin moved to Istanbul at the age of 12. 

Shahin, who became interested in music at the age of 16, entered the music world with his first album, “Beriwane.”

He participated in the founding of the Mesopotamia Cultural Center, then collaborated with Koma Çiya on joint productions.

With his album “Nurhaq,” released in Europe in 1993, he became the modern voice of Kurdish music. He also appeared on four different albums with Koma Berxwedan, performing solos and vocals.

A historic gathering in Diyarbakır

This concert, held as part of the 2nd Peyas Women’s Labor Gathering and Culture Festival, was not just a music event, but a stage for a return and a confrontation.

Beşer Şahin’s lyrics and music brought together years of separation and the resilience of his people on the same stage.

“Today, I will share the songs that come from my heart with you.
Once again, you are my eyes, you have come to my head.”