Jan. 2 2023 — Supporters of Kurdish international solidarity have come together to release
KurdDAO, a non-profit fundraising DAO in coordination with the Kurdish Centre for Human
Rights, initially backing projects to strengthen Kurdish women’s rights as well as raising
awareness and support for Kurdish political prisoners and the spread of democratic modernity
in the Middle East.
WHY A DAO?
Since the end of World War I, the Kurds have maintained solidarity despite continual
displacement and subjugation to hegemonic powers, genocides, and aggressions across
Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. The same radical beliefs the Kurds support that make them
targets of Middle Eastern aggression towards free societies are those that stand in support of
a decentralized and autonomous life for all, locally and globally: equality, community councils,
and ecological solidarity.
JIN JIYAN AZADI FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
KurdDAO is initially raising awareness and funds through a campaign structured where
donors can mint unique Freedom Flower NFTs with cultural significance to Kurdish liberation.
The symbolism included in the NFT art is the Guldexwîn, or reverse tulip, a flower whose
gene center originates in Kurdistan and is also known as the “freedom flower of the
mountains”. 10,001 NFTs will be offered to represent the over 10,000 political prisoners
currently detained in Turkey. 0.1 ETH is the minimum contribution required to mint a Freedom
Flower. Freedom Flower NFTs serve as commemorative tokens of appreciation, and also
function as access tokens to a future discussion forum for strategic collaboration with the
KurdDAO Democratic Council.
INITIAL CAMPAIGN PROJECTS
This campaign will support three projects themed around “Jin, Jîyan, Azadî” or “Woman, Life,
Freedom“:
• Women’s Liberation Initiative will provide funding for Kurdish cultural centers and work
spaces around the world, where women can gather for female-led social and project
development.
• Discourse Kurdistan is a series of panels and events providing open discussion on the
developing, complex situation in Kurdistan.
• Kurdish Legal Advocacy will focus on providing substantial legal defense to the more
than 10,000 political prisoners currently detained in Turkey, including activists, politicians,
leaders, and journalists.
The Kurdish Centre For Human Rights (KCHR) is the beneficiary of the initial funding
campaign, responsible for ultimately implementing the projects.
STAND FOR KURDISH FREEDOM
The autocratic regimes have used censorship, violence and paramilitary mercenaries to crush
the voice of Kurdish women’s liberation and social freedom. Tens of thousands of people have
been killed, imprisoned and tortured. Millions of people are being displaced, not only in
Turkey, but also in Iran where women are now leading the struggle for freedom. Additionally,
the democratic project in Northeast Syria, formed after the ISIS defeat, is under constant
threat. Despite this pressure, the Kurdish developments and resistance impacts many other
parts of the Middle East. The launch of KurdDAO creates resources to transform the Kurdish
struggle and give voice to Kurdish women, spreading the message of Woman, Life, Freedom
to supporters around the world.
We ask that you join us today and STAND FOR KURDISH FREEDOM.
https://kurddao.org/
About The Kurdish Center for Human Rights
The Kurdish Centre for Human Rights is a non-profit established in Geneva in 2000 as a
direct response to the genocide, war crimes, and human rights violations occurring across the
Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria. The Kurdish Centre for Human Rights aims to
inform European citizens and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR) on violations against the Kurds via seminars and other dialogue platforms.
Additionally, the organization presently publishes dossiers, research, reports, news, and a
variety of resources about Kurdish human rights, women, children, prisoners, and
environmental affairs as a means of spreading relevant information on current events.
Rue des Savoises 15
1205 Genève – Suisse
https://www.kurd-chr.ch
Download press release PDF version: KurdDAO_-_Press_Release
