Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami at peace-building conference

The Kurdistani people are proud that our political struggle is based on peace, democracy and coexistence

The Kurdistan Parliament this week is hosting a two-day peace-building conference in partnership with Global Peace Chain, an organization of youth peace-builders from over 100 countries. Representatives of 35 countries have come to Kurdistan to take part. At the opening, Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami said, “A group of young people visited us to request that we host this conference and invite youth from other countries. We told them that Parliament is open for you to hold such conferences”.

Mr. Hawrami in his keynote speech said that he was delighted and proud that the Kurdistan Parliament is hosting the conference, which brings together young people from many countries. The organiser, World Peace Chain, has peace-building activities in more than 150 countries.

The Deputy Speaker highlighted the peaceful coexistence between religions and ethnicities in the Kurdistan Region: “We have always called for peace despite facing a multiplicity and succession of enemies, as well as violent forces with dark ideologies. But they were unable to destroy the values and beliefs of the Kurdistan Region and of our people. The people of Kurdistan rejected their ideology.”

The people of Kurdistan are proud of their belief in peaceful coexistence, Deputy Speaker Hawrami continued in his speech, and our struggle has always been built on the foundations of democracy and lasting peace. The political forces in Kurdistan Region refused to adopt a policy that contradicted the values and principles of the Kurdistani people. “The people of Kurdistan believe in peace and tolerance, and our pro-peace politics is built on this same belief,” he said.

Mr. Hawrami described the Kurdistan Parliament’s legislation and rules that enshrine and protect lasting peaceful coexistence in the Region. The presence of many foreign consuls, representatives, international organizations and foreign companies here is a testament to Kurdistan Region’s stability, he said.

In the end of the conference peace medals were distributed to the Kurdistan Parliament Deputy Speaker and a number of participants.

Global Peace Chain is an international organization of young people from many countries that aims to cultivate a culture of tolerance, inclusivity, interfaith harmony and peace through peace camps and peace discussions in many countries.