PM Barzani’s speech at the first European Union Film Festival in Kurdistan Region
In a speech he made, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, said that holding such festival, “organised and attended by our friends from Europe is yet another clear message to terrorists, and all those who want to halt Kurdistan’s march of progress by their dark ideology. The message is that in Kurdistan, the will for living and protecting life’s beauty is much more powerful than the death and threats that terrorists propagate.”
Prime Minister Barzani pointed out that supporting culture, has been among his government’s priorities, despite the current financial difficulties, which Kurdistan passes through.
Following is the text of the speech:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Evening,
It is my pleasure to be with you here in the Kurdistan Region’s capital of culture, the beloved city of Sulaymaniyah, marking Europe Day and attending the ceremony of the first European Union Film Festival.
I would like to thank the Hiwa Organisation, the Ministry of Culture and Youth of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and Sulaymaniyah Governorate that together with the support of the European Union Representative to Iraq they have organised this festival. I also appreciate and thank the European Union for its initiative to hold this festival in the Kurdistan Region.
The government and people of Kurdistan value and appreciate the friendly stance of the European Union towards our Region and its assistance to our Peshmerga forces in their fight against terrorism.
However, the Kurdistan Regional Government and people are still not certain whether the international community, including the United States, Europe, and other countries sufficiently realise and recognise the significance of the fact that Kurdistan is at the forefront of the war against terrorism, confronting a dark and fierce terrorist force. This force is not only a threat to the Kurdistan Region and the larger Middle East, it is also a serious threat to the international community and all humanity.
The Kurdistan Region is passing through a daunting financial and economic period. The Region has provided shelter and assistance to more than one and half million refugees and internally displaced people of all religious and ethnic backgrounds. The people and the Kurdistan Regional Government would like to see more assistance from the international community in order to be able to confront terrorism the way it should be confronted. Unfortunately, the assistance so far received is not at a level to adequately respond to the threat posed against Kurdistan, the larger region, and the international community as a whole.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is obvious that culture and art are the most sincere languages of expressing identity and the civilisation of nations. Relation established through these languages will open the gate towards friendship, progress, and protection and promotion of human values. The seventh art, the art of cinema, like other cultural and artistic activities, is one of those living languages of the human community that embraces all the diversity in identity, ethnicity, religion, language, colour, and race, together in the framework of the message of friendly coexistence, a message to humanity and life for the values of beauty.
Cultural cooperation with the developed world is not less important than economic, diplomatic, military and scientific cooperation with friendly nations. Without cultural development, the development of societies remains inadequate.
The Kurdistan Regional Government considers supporting development of cultural and artistic activities as one of its priorities. The Ministry of Culture and Youth has served this important field and continuously supported cultural centres. Nominating the city of Sulaymaniyah as our capital of culture and allocating a special budget to implement cultural projects are another demonstration of the importance that the KRG and Kurdistan Parliament attach to cultural development.
In the past years, KRG has continuously and generously helped filmmakers and artists, encouraging them in their work. Some films produced in our Kurdistan Region were presented at international festivals, and have won valuable awards.
The Islamic State terrorist organisation imposed war on us. We have been facing financial crises, including financial issues with the Iraqi Federal Government. Though these have had negative repercussions on the capacity of the government to support all sectors, art and its message of humanity remain in our programme and among our priorities. I am confident we will overcome these difficult, unavoidable situations, and will continue on our path of development, progress, and reconstruction in all fields. I always say, ahead of the will of our people to progress there is no final destination, and no road for retreat.
On the other hand, holding this festival in Sulaymaniyah, organised and attended by our friends from Europe is yet another clear message to terrorists, and all those who want to halt Kurdistan’s march of progress by their dark ideology. The message is that in Kurdistan, the will for living and protecting life’s beauty is much more powerful than the death and threats that terrorists propagate. Terror and threats will not stop life in Kurdistan. Kurdistan is dynamic and will continue to progress, reconstruct, and develop all aspects of life.
Ladies and gentlemen
When in the trenches during the time of revolution we used to love books, theatre, music, painting, sculpture, and words. Today, also, with the help of our friends from the free and developed world, in the fight for protecting our well-being and human values against terrorists, the cinema screen and the beauty of this art has great value for us. We are a living people who are deeply attached to the beautiful dreams of humanity.
Again, I thank the organisers of this festival. To the Ambassador of Latvia to Iraq, as the envoy of the European Union to Iraq, I express my gratitude to the countries of the European Union for their friendly initiative. Greetings to the artists wherever they are in the world. Greetings to the seventh art.
I wish you success in your festival.
Thank you.
