Erbil, Kurdistan (KRG.org) – Last week Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani warmly welcomed the renowned Turkish writer Ismail Beşikçi to Erbil, pledging to ensure the translation of all of his works into Kurdish and to oversee the opening of a branch of the Ismail Beşikçi Foundation.

During his visit Mr Beşikçi received an honorary doctorate from Salahaddin University, and a study hall at the University of Sulaimani was named in his honour. Mr Beşikçi has spent decades writing about the Kurdish people in defense of their rights.

Prime Minister Barzani lauded the achievements of the former Nobel Peace Prize candidate, affectionately known as ‘friend of the Kurds’. The Prime Minister explained that the Ismail Beşikçi Foundation branch in Erbil will serve as an important cultural centre and will help to educate future generations about his work and the importance of coexistence and tolerance.

In his meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr. Beşikçi discussed his first encounters with the Kurdish people, dating back more than 50 years. He discussed the positive developments in relations between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey, also praising the tolerance shown to different ethnic and religious groups in the Kurdistan Region and the value of the Region’s culture of peaceful coexistence.

Mr Beşikçi discussed his travel in the Kurdistan Region with Prime Minister Barzani. He visited Amedi, Barzan, Akre, Choman, and Haji Omran, and expressed his pleasure regarding the opportunity to visit the location of the September Revolution in Balakayeti prior to arriving in Erbil. Mr Beşikçi applauded the developments in the Kurdistan Region, emphasizing the importance of efforts by the government and citizens to protect the environment and wildlife in the mountainous areas of the Region.