Kulturvan
is a non-profit European organization, based as a cultural centre in Amuda, a
city in North East Syria. Kulturvan is developing and promoting art and
knowledge and encouraging exchanges with similar organisations to increase
opportunities and creativity for children, young people and adults in order to
support the civil society.
Gernas Haj Shekhmous (Maao) founder and general director of Kulturvan , Culture Unlimited.
Gernas is a musician, actor and cook. He
worked in organizing music evenings in combination with responsible food in
Brussels. In 2020, after more than 22 years of living and working in Europe, he
decided to return to his native town of Amuda: "I am shocked by the
deterioration in the cultural climate in North East Syria. The image of
children playing on the streets and the increasing aggression in language and
action made me worried. Children played soldiers on the street instead of going
to school or making music. There was poverty in every way. The biggest lack was
lack of perspective. There was no place to meet or to taste other flavors than
those of war. When I received the key to an uninhabited, abandoned old mud
building from a friend to rehearse with my instrument (Def), I immediately knew
what I wanted to do. This place should belong to everyone. I couldn't let go,
and chose to turn my fears and disappointments into action. The next morning I
was renovating. Fortunately, I already had experience with a similar project in
Brussels."
Board of the Foundation:
Alaa Dham Abdulfatah: chairman
of Kultuvan, Culture Unlimited foundation. Project manager, photographer and
aspirant writer.
Ine Smeets: Ine is the
secretary of Kulturvan, Culture Unlimited. Arabist, coordinator and
communication specialist.
Chris de Jong: treasurer
of Kulturvan, Culture Unlimited. Director of STOA, boardmember of several
culture institutions in the Netherlands.
The board members work voluntarily. and don’t receive any payment for their activities. They make decisions in
line with the vision and mission of the foundation. The managing General Director.,
Gernas Haj
Shekhmous (Maao), will be responsible to act on behalf the board in order
to get the organization started and begin with the activities.
He has the authority to make contracts and
employ personnel he seems fit and is expected to report to the board at least
four times every year.
Our mission
is to revive the culture and knowledge of post-conflict areas in the Middle
East, by focusing on music, cinema, and art. We start our work in North East of
Syria because of the huge need in this area.
The war in
Syria has reached its bleak ten-year anniversary. Life is characterized by
death and displacement, and the loss of safety and hope. This has also had a
great impact on North East of Syria. The central regime deprived the region to
develop in the last fifty years and the war has further exhausted the people
and the land.
Currently
there is an absence of cultural and social projects that give hope and a new
beginning to a traumatized population. We want to create new opportunities for
all of those who have stayed and those who have returned. A place where they
can learn to play music, see a movie, attend a lecture, or receive a training
in (civil) journalism. A place that also provides IDP women the chance to gain
an income with handicraft art work. Kulturvan is a stress free zone that Syrians
inside and outside of the country can tap into for hope and relief, through our
own cultural radio station Radio Kulturvan.
Because we believe in the power of art
to transform pain into pride we created Kulturvan as a cultural center in Amuda.
Postal Address
Kulturvan,
Culture Unlimited
Rechthuislaan
1- 3072 LB Rotterdam- The Netherlands