Authorities in Turkey’s Tunceli province have banned the Armenian folk music ensemble Veradardz from performing at the 23rd Munzur Culture and Nature Festival, citing accusations that the group had previously deviated from the festival’s intended purpose by displaying the Armenian flag, the Bianet news website reported.
Veradardz, which had departed from Yerevan and were en route to Tunceli, reportedly returned home from Van upon learning of the ban.
Formed in 2009 in Armenia, Veradardz (“Return” in Armenian) is an ensemble of dedicated musicians, singers and dancers performing traditional Armenian folk music and dance. They previously participated in the Munzur Festival in 2019, where local authorities later cited their display of the Armenian national flag as grounds for banning their performance at the 2025 edition.
Criticism has come from Kurdish artist Mikaîl Aslan, who issued a public statement in response to the decision.
“Yet again, the authorities blocked languages, cultures and peoples from coming together. We, however, will continue to build bridges of friendship with our ancient neighbors and kin, the Armenians. No ban or pressure can halt our cultural bonds or folk-dance traditions!” he posted on X.
The decision comes amid ongoing normalization efforts between Turkey and Armenia. On June 20, 2025, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met in İstanbul, discussing reopening transport links, restoring the historic bridge at Ani and potential bilateral cooperation.
Despite recent efforts at diplomatic normalization between Turkey and Armenia, societal perceptions remain complex. Polls have shown that public sentiment toward Armenians is generally unfavorable in Turkey, and the term “Armenian” has at times been used pejoratively in political and social discourse. Turkish school curricula continue to reflect official state narratives that reject the characterization of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide — a term recognized by Armenia and many international scholars. These dynamics have shaped the broader environment in which cultural events and cross-border exchanges are received.
The ban also affects the folk protest bands Grup Yorum and Grup İsyan Ateşi. In a statement the Tunceli Governor’s Office alleged that some members of Grup Yorum had been arrested for affiliation with banned leftist militant group the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C), while members of Grup İsyan Ateşi were accused of spreading propaganda for the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist.
The Munzur Festival, held in Turkey’s eastern province of Tunceli, also known as Dersim in local parlance, has for 23 years celebrated the region’s cultural and natural heritage.
The festival started on July 24 continues until July 28.
