Awyar International Solo Festival

 Awyar International Solo Festival was organized by Sanandaj musicians matching with the programs of the creative city and the goals of the creative city with the aim of participation of all stakeholders. After a long period of effort and numerous planning meetings and the formation of executive and scientific committees, the call for the festival was published in August 2021 in the media, the official website of the UNESCO Creative Cities and Music Clusters. After sending video works by artists from different countries, preparations for the festival were made online. From October 26 to October 30, the festival was held online and the works of artists from different countries were posted on websites and virtual social networks.

 Finally, on October 30, on the occasion of the second anniversary of Sanandaj’s designation to the Creative Cities Network, a closing ceremony was held with the participation of artists, musicians, people of culture and art, writers, intellectuals, and activists in the cultural, artistic, private and civil sectors. Also in this ceremony, Experienced musicians of NarmehNay, Doduk and Balaban seminaries were honored. It is worth mentioning that the selected and published works of this festival were thirty ones by 22 artists from Iran, Iraq, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Germany. More than five hundred people attended the closing ceremony following the health protocols related to the pandemic.

It is worth noting that NarmehNay, a woodwind instrument, is a popular musical instrument in Kurdish music. It is in the reed instrument category and played in other cultures with different features such as size. The name and the tone color of the instrument describe differently depends on the cultural and regional diversity. It is known as Duduk in Armenia and Balaban in Azerbaijan.

The event was organized in cooperation with government organizations, including the Kurdistan Art Center, the General Directorate of Islamic Culture and Guidance, the University of Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Music Association, the Secretariat of the Creative City, and the Sanandaj Municipality and Council.