President Nechirvan Barzani attended the 27th graduation ceremony of Duhok University Monday evening where he delivered a speech on the educational system.

In his speech, the President congratulated the graduates, the families of the graduates and the university professors who helped and supported the students, encouraging the graduates to use the expertise and skills they have acquired at the service of their country.

President Nechirvan Barzani stressed that although the number of graduates and the needs of the labor market are not balanced and that they may not be able to find work early, but the graduates must not despair, as they should continue to improve their skills, educate themselves further and increase their chances of finding a job.

The President also called on the graduates to bring their experience of cooperation, partnership and commonality during the university years to their communities and workplaces, and make use of this great experience in their daily lives in order to deepen and expand the culture of tolerance, coexistence and mutual acceptance.

He also reminded the graduates that they should never take their education as a completed project, rather learning and expanding the level of knowledge and understanding of human vision are always an open process with no ends or limits. Therefore, graduates should constantly improve their level of learning, knowledge and expertise and become a beacon to illuminate their surroundings.

President Nechirvan Barzani said that the rapid development of science and technology has made life very fast, which requires people to develop alongside the progress of their era as they need to update themselves. “It is your responsibility as individuals and the responsibility of the relevant parties in the education system,” the President said.

“This is a vital necessity for us and as we have said before, the key to success is a good education system,” the President stated. Because only a good education system can secure our present and future and build an advanced society. The President said: Knowledge, science and learning are unlimited forces, the forces that protect our present and future.

President Nechirvan Barzani also stressed that despite all the progress, there is still much work to be done in Kurdistan and we must continue to progress in many different areas, from human development to the appropriate utilization of the country’s resources. He also called for more attention to vocational education and the opening of high schools, institutes and vocational colleges.

To create a balance between the labor market and education, he stressed that the government, the market and the university must cooperate and coordinate. He also stressed the need to take advantage of natural and human resources, strengthen agricultural, tourism and industrial infrastructure and pay attention to online jobs and businesses.

For any progress, the President first considered strengthening the educational infrastructure as necessary, which is done through research, scientific assessment, change and reform in the education system, a system that produces and innovates a university that produces and innovates.

Finally, President Nechirvan Barzani highlighted the history of the establishment of the university and thanked the service of the University of Duhok during the past 30 years.

Regarding the political situation in the country, while once again congratulating the Iraqi president and the prime minister-designate, the President reiterated that the Iraqi parties and communities should work together for peace and stability in the country.

He stressed that the Iraqi parties and factions must learn lessons from the mistakes of the past, the new Iraqi government must see the situation of the country and see and solve the problems, especially the problems with the Kurdistan Region, which is the key to peace and stability in Iraq.

The following is a readout of President Nechirvan Barzani’s speech in Dohuk.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Graduates,
Good afternoon,
And warm welcome to all

I am very happy that this evening we take part in your celebration together with our dear graduates, their families and loved ones, at the 27th graduation ceremony of Dohuk University. I warmly congratulate every one of you and your parents and families. I wish you all success.

Congratulations to the President, teachers and employees of Dohuk University who have tirelessly stood by the students. I thank and congratulate the parents of the graduates. They were supportive and made all the sacrifices to see their girls and boys graduate and start a new chapter in their life.

Dear graduates,
You are today entering a new stage in your life. As of today you take responsibility towards your country while working and serving, whether you work at the public sector, private sector or with the civil society organizations. For this reason, your responsibility will be greater. Following many years of studies and sacrifices, you need to take steps towards a brighter future for yourselves.

You need to make use of your expertise and knowledge that you have been acquiring, in the service of your country and your nation and its development. This is true that the number of the graduates does not correspond to the demand of the market and it may not be easy for all the graduates to find a job. But you should not despair. You need to continuously make efforts and develop your skills. Some of you may need to work voluntarily with the civil society groups occasionally. This will enrich your education and experience and it will widen your chances to find greater jobs.

You come from different parts of Kurdistan and were together at the university, you need to bring your spirit of friendship, experience, cooperation and commonality into your communities. It will reflect in your daily life as you take your experiences into the working places. Your experiences need to strengthen and widen the culture of tolerance, coexistence and mutual acceptance.

Dear Graduates,
You should never think that your education has ended because you graduated. Human education and widening your knowledge never end. The more you know, the more you realize that there is a lot to learn further. There is no end to education and knowledge. You need to improve your knowledge and education. You need to become a light for your communities.

Rapid technological and scientific progress has made life to progress very fast. One needs to progress with the developments of our age and be updated. Otherwise, we will remain behind and will not keep pace with the developments of the advanced nations. Development, rejuvenation and keeping pace with the advanced nations are part of your duties and the duty of the relevant authorities as part of education system.

Our people and country need nothing more than knowledge, learning and a good and advanced education system! This is a life challenge for us. As we have already said, the key to success is a good education system. On this basis, many efforts have been made in the Kurdistan Region before, which are commendable, but undoubtedly this process must continue and keep pace with the latest developments in the world.

Only a good and advanced education system can help us to have a secure, brighter and better present and future. Only a good and advanced education system can build an open and advanced society. Knowledge, science and learning are great fundamental forces. They are what will protect us now and in the future.

Dear Graduates,
Despite all the progress, there is still much work to be done in the Kurdistan Region. We must build in many different areas. From building human rights, to taking advantage of all the opportunities and resources of our country. More and better vocational high schools, institutes and colleges should be opened.

Therefore, we must give special importance to the labor market in the education system and create a balance between the field of education and the labor market and its needs and demands. Therefore, the trio of government, market and university must constantly cooperate and coordinate. Our country has a lot of natural and human resources, we must prepare the present and the future for these needs and opportunities.

There are opportunities and capabilities to strengthen the agricultural, tourist and industrial infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region. You must pay attention to primary works and businesses. For this and for any other progress, we must first of all establish the educational infrastructure.

Graduation from university should not be just a certificate! Our universities, our education system must produce thinking, constructive and innovative people. University graduates must create job opportunities for themselves and those around them with their knowledge, learning and expertise.

Dear attendees,
It is a great pleasure that we are seeing today at Duhok University, the result of the right decision of 30 years ago. In 1992, Dr. Ismet Mohammed Khalid and a number of teachers of Duhok visited H.E. President Barzani and requested the opening of a university in Duhok. He supported everyone and the university was built. We are very pleased that today, after thirty years, in Duhok University 4468 students graduated from 19 colleges and 66 departments in its twenty-seventh graduation ceremony. I would like to thank all those who have faithfully worked to realize that since the beginning. Through their efforts and hard work, this university has reached this stage. I congratulate you and all the people of Bahdinan.

Duhok University has been serving this region in particular and the Kurdistan Region in general for 30 years. Many people from other parts of Iraq and neighboring countries have had the opportunity to complete their education here. Duhok University has provided thousands of cadres and experts in many fields to the society that serve it today. The role of university teachers is respected and their duties and responsibilities are very great.

Dear attendees,
A few days ago, by the election of the new president of the Federal Republic of Iraq, Dr. Abdullatif Rashid and the appointment of Mr. Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to form the new federal government, the political process in Iraq entered a new stage. We once again congratulate the President and the Prime Minister-designate and wish them success.

On this occasion, I must emphasize once again that the Iraqi political forces and parties must learn from past mistakes! For political, security and economic peace and stability in Iraq, all Iraqi forces and communities must cooperate and work together. We hope that the new Iraqi federal government will be formed as soon as possible and respond to the legitimate demands of the Iraqi people.

The new Iraqi government must see the reality of Iraq as it is and solve the problems of the country. In particular, it must resolve issues with the Kurdistan Region, because the key to peace and stability in Iraq is to resolve issues with the Kurdistan Region. We hope that this will be the stage of resolving the Iraqi issue and restoring political peace and stability. The Kurdistan Region will always be ready for any solution on the basis of the constitution.

Finally, we are confident that with the presence of these young people loyal to their country, with the knowledge they have acquired, with the service that will start from today, a more advanced, peaceful and secure Kurdistan will prosper. The Kurdistan that these young people will govern in the future will be better, more prosperous and stronger.

This is the reward of your struggling ancestors who spent their entire lives in the struggle as Peshmergas, so that you can be free and study and educate yourselves today. Love, build and protect your country. Happy graduation and congratulations to the enrolment of new students to the university.

I wish you happiness and success. I wish you all a good time. Thank you.