Erbil hosts sitar recital drawing on Kurdish epic 'Mem û Zîn'

ERBIL, Iraq — Artist Dana Muhyiddin performed a sitar recital at the Kurdistan Region Ministry of Culture hall in Erbil, presenting compositions inspired by the poetry of "Mem û Zîn," the classic Kurdish epic written by poet Ahmedê Xanî in 1695. The program featured works drawn from the love story of the epic's central figures, Mem and Zîn, reinterpreting the narrative through instrumental music. Artists, cultural figures and foreign guests attended the event. The Goethe Institute in Germany organized the concert, saying it aimed to strengthen cultural and artistic exchange between different communities. Xanî, who lived between 1650 and 1707, is regarded as one of the founders of classical Kurdish literature, and "Mem û Zîn" is widely viewed as a symbol of Kurdish cultural identity.