Kurdish musicians sing 'Bella Ciao' for Italians to show solidarity amid coronavirus

Mevlüt Oğuz / Duvar

Some 40 Kurdish musicians have sung the Kurdish version of the Italian folk song “Bella Ciao” and created a music video in an attempt to show solidarity with Italy, which has so far recorded more coronavirus deaths than any other country.

The Kurdish musicians residing in different parts of the world – including Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Australia and Turkey – have recorded themselves singing and playing the famous song, and their performances were later combined in a montage video.

The music collaboration project was organized by Merdan Zirav, a member of the Turkish-Turkish group Koma Amed. Zirav said that his group had previously sung the Kurdish version of “Bella Ciao.

“It is a song that we have sung before and is also a song known in Kurdish music, so it was not difficult for us. Our Italian friends have always shown solidarity for us, and now, in such an epidemic that hit the world but at most Italy, we have taken an initiative to show our support as musicians,” Zirav told Gazete Duvar.

Ayfer Düzdaş, one of the Kurdish musicians who vocalized the song, said that the project's purpose was to boost Italians' morale amid the lockdown. “We wanted to boost morale in a period where everyone is at home and having a hard time...Personally, when I see or listen to such positive things, I am more relaxed and become happy,” she said.

Zirav said that Kurdish musicians are currently undertaking a similar music project for political prisoners in Turkey, in order to draw attention to their situation. Such a video clip will be soon shared with the public, he said.