پەرلەمانی کوردستان
August 25, 2025
President Nechirvan Barzani participated in the International Conference on the Yezidi Genocide, which was organized by University of Kurdistan - Hewler today.
The event saw the presence of Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg, the Mir of the Yezidis, Baba Sheikh, the Spiritual Leader of the Yezidis, along with several ministers and high-ranking officials from the Kurdistan Region, representatives from political parties, consuls and diplomats based in Erbil, as well as academics and researchers both locally and internationally, alongside religious leaders.
The following is a readout of the President’s speech:
Your Excellency Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg,
Mir of the Yezidis,
Your Excellency Mr. Baba Sheikh,
Dear Attendees,
Good morning.
I extend a warm welcome to you all at this international conference addressing the genocide of the Yezidis. I would like to offer a special greeting to our foreign guests and participants from across the globe. My gratitude goes to University of Kurdistan - Hewler for hosting this academic conference, which is being held for the first time at this level and with such extensive participation.
First and foremost, we honor all Yezidi victims and all those who suffered at the hands of ISIS. We convey our greetings and peace to their souls. They will remain in our memories, and we will always remember them with the greatest respect.
The organization of a scientific-academic conference focusing on the genocide of the Yezidis is an essential and significant venture, particularly with the involvement of experts from various scientific and academic institutions worldwide, which will share their discussions and research findings.
This initiative is crucial for documenting the genocide and its repercussions. Scientific and Academic inquiry into the genocide of the Yezidis, which examines its historical, political, legal, and psychological aspects, will serve as a vital resource for both present and future understanding, enabling a full exploration of all facets of this genocide.
I am convinced that this conference will transform pain into knowledge and suffering into valuable lessons. Furthermore, it will serve as a connection between science, politics, and humanity, aiding in the enhancement of international awareness regarding the genocide and ensuring that the perpetrators are held accountable.
Dear attendees,
On August 3, 2014, ISIS attempted to obliterate the indigenous community of Kurdistan and Iraq, along with the culture of pluralism and coexistence. They murdered thousands of men and youths, abducted countless Yezidi women and girls, perpetrated various acts of rape and enslavement against them, forcibly converted their children, and indoctrinated them for suicide and terrorism. Hundreds of thousands were displaced, and Yezidi temples, religious symbols, and cultural heritage underwent a systematic process of destruction and erasure.
Consequently, this atrocity was not merely a fleeting incident in the region's history; it represents a profound and unhealed wound, a disgraceful chapter in history. Each survivor of this genocide, every Yezidi parent who has lost a child, and every child left without parents, family, and relatives stands as a living testament to this tragedy.
From the very outset of this tragedy, the Kurdistan Region, fulfilling its national and humanitarian responsibilities, embraced hundreds of thousands of Yezidis. Furthermore, numerous Peshmerga forces, under the leadership of President Masoud Barzani, risked their lives and shed their blood. They exerted every effort to defend and safeguard the Yezidi people and to liberate Sinjar. We regarded this tragedy as a matter pertinent to Kurdistan, as the Yezidis constitute an integral part of Kurdistan's communities.
It is indeed the case that each year, in various ways and across numerous locations, the memory of this tragedy is commemorated with great sorrow. This remembrance is significant and must persist so that future generations, like all other communities in Kurdistan, are aware of the events that befell the Yezidis. However, this alone is insufficient and does not meet the needs of the Yezidis.
It is profoundly disheartening that eleven years following the tragedy, approximately half of the Yezidi community continues to endure a challenging existence in the camps, facing the harsh conditions therein. There are now 11-year-old Yezidi children who have spent their entire lives residing in these camps, and there remains a critical lack of genuine hope for a positive transformation in their circumstances. They are unable to envision a hopeful future, and their destinies remain profoundly uncertain.
Iraq is a nation endowed with significant resources, and the Yezidi community, as citizens of Iraq, possesses full rights concerning the state. It is therefore imperative for the Iraqi government to more fully embrace its Yezidi citizens. The responsibility lies with all of us across the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the international community to take all necessary actions for the benefit and future of the Yezidi people
To begin with, it is essential to instill confidence and hope in the Yezidis, enabling them to reconstruct their lives from the remnants of their painful history. This objective cannot be realized without delivering justice for the Yezidis.
Justice for the Yezidis will not solely be attained through the punishment of those responsible for the genocide; it also requires a serious commitment to addressing the needs of the Yezidis across all facets of their existence. This commitment will reassure them that they will not endure such a catastrophe again.
Even now, eleven years post-genocide, the Yezidi community remains in profound shock. They are experiencing severe psychological and social trauma with enduring effects. It is our obligation to assist them in healing and ease their mental suffering. The work you researchers are undertaking today will play a crucial role in that support.
Ladies and gentlemen
We in the Kurdistan Region are prepared to collaborate with the Iraqi Federal Government to offer both essential and necessary support to the Yezidi community. Upholding pluralism, coexistence, and mutual acceptance is our foremost responsibility in Iraq. The diversity present in Iraqi society, including that of the Kurdistan Region, represents a strength and a valuable asset, rather than a challenge or a threat. We must consistently endeavor to enhance these qualities.
At present, the most fundamental right of the Yezidis is to enjoy sufficient peace and security in their localities, enabling them to return. They should have access to adequate prosperity and services to facilitate their return to their homeland and embark on a new chapter in their lives.
Therefore, the agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi Federal Government must be executed to stabilize the situation in Sinjar and its surrounding areas. The Yezidis and their territories should no longer serve as a battleground for illegal forces or the imposition of regional agendas. We stand ready to work cooperatively with the federal government in Baghdad towards achieving this critical objective.
We will persist in our endeavors until every last Yezidi abductee is freed, while also striving to establish Sinjar as a province and to enhance the international recognition of the Yezidi massacre. Those responsible must face justice, and it is imperative that the Yezidis receive the necessary support to heal and recover from their trauma.
We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to all individuals and organizations that have assisted the Yezidi community in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and beyond.
I wish you great success in your conference. We sincerely endorse such initiatives and conferences. Your work is both significant and essential, providing invaluable support to the Yezidis.
Thank you very much to everyone involved.
Continue the excellent work.
