Kurdistan
Musicians performing at the Kurdish and Breton dance fusion event held by French Institute on April 17, 2025. Photo: Bilind.T Abdullah / Rudaw
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - In a meeting of Kurdish and French folkloric traditions, the French Institute organized a music concert and dance performance titled ‘Kurdish and Breton dance fusion’ on Thursday at the Event Box hall in Erbil.
“It's about having two cultures, Kurdish culture on one side and Brittany, French Brittany culture on the other side, and trying to see what are the links between them. And you have seen in the dance, how the dances are very similar, and how the music are so similar as well,” France's Consul General to Erbil Yann Braem told Rudaw on Thursday.
“For me, it is really a source of joy because I'm coming from this area of France,” Braem added.
Brittany, located in northwestern France, has a unique culture that reflects its Celtic roots, shaped by centuries of French influence.
Three French artists and three young performers from the Kurdistan Region were invited to present a fusion of Kurdish and French folkloric music and dance.
Established in 2009, the French Institute in Erbil is a cultural and language center for both locals and expatriates. It hosts cultural events and offers courses in French, Kurdish, and Arabic.
The Kurdistan Region and France have enjoyed good ties for decades. France was one of the first countries to open a consulate in the Kurdish capital after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, and played a critical role in helping Kurds both in Iraq and Syria in the war against the Islamic State (ISIS), including by supplying arms and training to Kurdish forces in both countries.
“It's about having two cultures, Kurdish culture on one side and Brittany, French Brittany culture on the other side, and trying to see what are the links between them. And you have seen in the dance, how the dances are very similar, and how the music are so similar as well,” France's Consul General to Erbil Yann Braem told Rudaw on Thursday.
“For me, it is really a source of joy because I'm coming from this area of France,” Braem added.
Brittany, located in northwestern France, has a unique culture that reflects its Celtic roots, shaped by centuries of French influence.
Three French artists and three young performers from the Kurdistan Region were invited to present a fusion of Kurdish and French folkloric music and dance.
Established in 2009, the French Institute in Erbil is a cultural and language center for both locals and expatriates. It hosts cultural events and offers courses in French, Kurdish, and Arabic.
The Kurdistan Region and France have enjoyed good ties for decades. France was one of the first countries to open a consulate in the Kurdish capital after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, and played a critical role in helping Kurds both in Iraq and Syria in the war against the Islamic State (ISIS), including by supplying arms and training to Kurdish forces in both countries.
Updated at 8:44 pm
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