Khidr Abdulkarim, a Kurdish sculptor and activist from Rojava (Western Kurdistan), has won a prestigious international award, standing out among 244 artists from around the world.
The award was presented as part of the fourth International Minority Artists Competition, organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in cooperation with the Frimus Organisation, the Minority Rights Group, and the Canton of Geneva. Khidr Abdulkarim, who currently resides in Germany, received the grand prize for his outstanding work.
Speaking about his achievement, Abdulkarim dedicated the award to the Kurdish people and emphasized the role of his art in defending their rights. “As a Kurdish artist who defends the rights of my people and nation through my paintings, receiving this award, given in cooperation with the United Nations and international organizations, is a great honor for me,” he said.
Reflecting on his perseverance, he also shared experiences from his years in prison. “When I was in prison, I made sculptures with very simple materials I prepared myself. Sometimes I dismantled wood and boards from vegetable crates, and even in those conditions, I continued producing art,” he explained.
Khidr Abdulkarim was born in 1967 in Rojava. In 1987, he applied to the College of Fine Arts in Damascus, but before the results were announced, he was detained by the government of Hafez al-Assad on charges of being “a threat to state security.” Despite these challenges, he has become a leading figure in Kurdish art and activism.
