Mesopotamian Ecology Movement

North Kurdistan, Turkey

The Mesopotamian Ecology Movement works in the Kurdish autonomous region of North Kurdistan, in Turkey, to integrate ecological principles into the regional movement for political freedom and women’s rights. Its network of “ecology councils” is part of the broader movement for regional autonomy, and it has its work cut out for it –embargoes from surrounding hostile governments, the depredations of ISIS, and an influx of refugees from Syria are only a few of the challenges the Movement faces. Nevertheless, the Movement, with help from the international Terra Madre network (a project of Slow Food), has promoted seed saving, traditional construction techniques, and food security, all within the context of a radical communal political structure that is as democratic as it is revolutionary.

English speakers can take an extended look at the Mesopotamian Ecology Movement through our article on Medium, ‘Agriculture and Autonomy in the Middle East‘.

Photo by Kurdishstruggle (CC BY 2.0)