Fifth Anniversary of the Departing of Renowned Kurdish Artist Mohammad Ali Shaker

ARK News.. On Wednesday, December 24, 2025, marked the fifth anniversary of the passing of the esteemed Kurdish artist Mohammad Ali Shakir, who died on the morning of Thursday, December 24, 2020, at the age of 74, after contracting COVID-19 in a hospital in the city of Qamishlo, Syrian Kurdistan.

Born in 1946 in the city of Sari Kaniye, Mohammad Ali Shakir studied English Language and Literature at the University of Aleppo, from which he graduated in 1981.

He began writing poetry and composing music in 1968, leaving behind a rich artistic legacy that includes approximately 265 songs written and composed by him. Around 170 of his poems were performed by his brother, the late artist Mahmoud Aziz Shaker. His works were also performed by prominent Kurdish artists such as Mohammad Sheikho, Mustafa Khaled, Zubair Saleh, Hussein Saleh, Shehribana Kurdi, and Khoshnav Tello, among others.

Shakir published two poetry collections and wrote extensively on issues related to the Kurdish cause and historical events, addressing a wide range of national and social themes. In addition to poetry and music, he was also a talented visual artist, producing numerous paintings that vividly reflected Kurdish folklore and cultural heritage.

With his passing, Kurdistan of Syria lost a distinguished cultural figure who played a significant role in enriching the Kurdish artistic and literary movement. He was laid to rest in Qamishlo, far from his hometown of Sari Kaniye, after a lifetime devoted to art, culture, and national expression.

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