The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region stated at the University of Duhok that we will make every effort, in cooperation with the federal government, to provide job and employment opportunities for our youth and graduates
This evening, Monday, 5 of October, in the presence of Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, the graduation celebration ceremony of the University of Duhok was held.
At the ceremony, the Prime Minister delivered a speech and, while congratulating the graduating students, asked them to serve their families, society and their country.
The Prime Minister also reiterated that the Kurdistan Regional Government has made every effort and has remained in contact with the federal government in order to create job and employment opportunities for university graduates.
The following is the text of the speech by the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region:
In the name of God, the Most Great and Merciful
President and members of the University Council of Duhok
Distinguished and hardworking professors
Honored guests
Proud families of the students
Dear students and graduates of the 31 class of the University of Duhok.
I am very pleased to be with you this evening. I extend warm congratulations to the dear students on this great achievement, which we are celebrating this evening. Therefore, congratulations on this achievement.
I sincerely thank the professors, the university president and the employees of this university for their efforts. I know how much they have worked to advance the standard of education at this university, and they have carried out many good reforms and improvements in education. Once again, I thank you, and may you never tire.
I extend my thanks and appreciation to the families of the dear students for their support and efforts. Without them, perhaps this achievement would not have been easily attained by the students. It is your support and care that has enabled the students to stand proudly before you this evening and become a source of pride for you, for us and for everyone. I thank you and congratulate the families of all the students on this achievement.
I congratulate the students on their efforts and hard work, and on the great accomplishments they have achieved. Undoubtedly, many of them are moving on to another stage of their lives, and perhaps some of them will want to continue their studies and may wish to keep studying and obtain a higher level of education. Some of you will return to society, become influential people and want to serve your country.
The knowledge you have acquired and the education you have received will become tools and means in your hands so that you can better serve yourselves, your families and your country.
Science is a good thing, but science is not complete without people having love for their own country. My hope is that the more you learn and the more you study, you will strengthen your connection and love for your homeland, so that you can serve your country more. Your country is waiting for you; the future of your country is in your hands. You can make your country more prosperous, improve it, and advance it. Do not listen to anyone, and do not allow anyone to make you lose hope. Do not listen to anyone who would distance you from love of your country. We are the people of this country; our land, country, and achievements are the product of the blood of our martyrs and the toil of our peshmerga, many of whom are your relatives. To uphold the service of those martyrs and those peshmerga and their sacrifices, we must protect our country and those achievements. This responsibility now falls on your shoulders. My hope is that, in addition to loving your country, you must protect it; you must also protect the environment of this country, because protecting our environment will help create a healthier, more prosperous, and cleaner country for the generations that come after you.
Dear and esteemed sisters and brothers
I know that it has not been easy for you, and many of you want to play your role in your society and community, so that you can serve your country more. No country in the world has become what it is without the people of that country working hard and exhausting themselves for the prosperity of their country, and no one from outside their country has come to serve them. They themselves decided to make their country prosperous. From here, our hope is that, whatever happens, the decision is in your hands. Do not listen to anyone. You can make your country more prosperous and advance it further. The government's responsibility is to support you and arrange opportunities for you. Unfortunately, the progress you now see in Kurdistan did not come without obstacles; rather, many impediments were placed in our way. Otherwise, today our Kurdistan would have been at a much better and more advanced stage. Many ill-wishers cannot bear to see our country's success and progress. They tried to prevent us from advancing and succeeding, but the steadfastness of our people, your perseverance and hard work, and the sacrifices of the peshmerga and your relatives have caused Kurdistan to become more advanced and successful day by day.
This now rests with you, and the decision is in your hands: how much you want to work hard. From here, as the government, we have made every effort and will continue with the federal government so that more support and opportunities for employment and the hiring of university graduates can be provided. Unfortunately, since 2013 until now, the federal government has not allowed anyone from the Kurdistan Region to be hired. But we have not stopped. The number of projects carried out here is the product of your own struggle and hard work. The private sector in the Kurdistan Region has cooperated with the government so that we can move forward step by step and no factor or obstacle can stop the march of progress in the Kurdistan Region.
Today as well, we will continue with the government so that employment at the federal government level can be resolved, so that we can expand these opportunities further for graduates and the people of Kurdistan. But this alone is not enough. The government's program is for us to increase employment opportunities in the private sector and Let us cooperate with the private sector so that this sector can move forward day by day and create more opportunities for you, so that you can work more in your own fields in what you have studied, in the knowledge you possess, and in your own experience and expertise. This is a promise that we will continue to uphold so that we can cooperate with one another. Just as much as you await the government, we await your efforts and support. The government is not something separate from you; it is part of you. You form the government, and your future and the future government will have you at their core. You can take your country to the level you yourselves want. My hope is that you will once again cooperate with one another and with your government, and not allow anyone to make you lose hope. We will neither tire nor lose hope, and day by day we will succeed.
I would like to discuss here some specific topics today that are all important to you. One of them is our relations with the federal government. With this new government, we have taken good steps, and our relations are moving toward resolution and improvement. We have declared our support for the prime minister and the new federal government, and they know that our demands are the implementation of the Constitution and our conditions for full support, the implementation and upholding of the Constitution, and the implementation of all the rights of the people of Kurdistan. We will continue defending the rights of our people, in whatever field and at whatever time. Many of the issues that exist have now been resolved, and many still remain, but we will continue working so that those too are resolved.
Over the past few days, you have seen the coalition forces complete their mission as part of the coalition against ISIS. On behalf of the people of Kurdistan and on behalf of all of you, we thank the coalition forces for their support and cooperation with the Peshmerga forces, who were the fighting force that defeated the forces of terror. ISIS was defeated by the Peshmerga. It is true that the coalition's cooperation was extensive, but the heroes who defeated terrorism were the Peshmerga. Those Peshmerga were your relatives, so once again we thank the coalition, while at the same time expressing our great thanks to our own Peshmerga for that great achievement of which the whole world is proud.
We thank the coalition, but I would also like you to know that as long as we own those Peshmerga, Kurdistan is safe and secure. Let no one ever imagine that, after the coalition leaves, Kurdistan will become an easy target for our enemies and adversaries, because Kurdistan is protected by the Peshmerga and will, God willing, remain peaceful and secure through the Peshmerga.
The departure or completion of the coalition's mission does not mean that our relations with the coalition have ended. The way we interact with the coalition has changed. The coalition's mission was to fight ISIS, but our relations with the coalition at the level of Iraq, that is, at the level of the Kurdistan Region, will continue in another form. That relationship will continue, and the support of our friendly countries for the Kurdistan Region will continue. But again, I repeat: our reliance is on God, on our Peshmerga, and on you. This belief will continue among our people. Both your confidence in the government is a source of pride and honor, and the government's confidence in you is also a source of pride and honor for us. Therefore, the stronger this relationship is, the more our allies and friends will be able to help. to you.
Dear sisters and brothers,
Another issue that I would like to raise with you today is the formation of the Kurdistan Regional Government. This month will mark two years since the Kurdistan Region elections took place. Unfortunately, after two years, neither has Parliament been activated nor has the government been formed. It has gone on far too long; this truly is not something that can please us. One day after the elections, we called for Parliament to convene and for a government to be formed. We have always been ready, and we have extended the hand of friendship to all the political parties that received the votes of the people of Kurdistan and have members in Parliament, so that they come and both activate Parliament and form the government. The formation of the government must reflect the election results. Although we were very ready, and remain ready, we are more than willing to facilitate matters for the other parties, even beyond our own rights, and to relinquish some of our rights for the sake of our people's interests and the peace and prosperity of our country, so that the government may be formed. Is there any reason why, after two years, Parliament still does not function and has not been activated? If you think about why Parliament is not being activated and why the government is not being formed, then one party must have an interest in this: to govern without being accountable to its own people and without being accountable to any government. Perhaps it wants this situation to continue in this manner. But, truly, our people and the people of Kurdistan must no longer accept any political force playing with the destiny of our people.
Members of Parliament represent the voice of the people of Kurdistan. It is the responsibility of every member of Parliament to remain faithful to the vote given to them by the people of Kurdistan, to attend Parliament today, and, in accordance with the loyalty they owe their own people in Parliament, to defend the demands of their people. We want Parliament to be activated, because Parliament convening is the first step toward forming the government. Our request is that, once again, they put the interests of our people and the interests of our country before party interests and narrow personal interests; that they abandon their personal gains and think about the interests of their country and their people; that they join hands with us, reactivate Parliament, and form the government as well. For our patience also has a limit, and we want to be honest with our people and honest with our voters. We want that government to be formed as soon as possible. We are also ready to provide every assistance to those who care about those people and that country, so that we can take steps toward greater prosperity and greater achievements.
Dear sisters and brothers:
I have gone on for quite a long time, but I wanted to say these words to you because you are entering a new life. Your period of study is complete, and you will face obstacles and challenges, but many opportunities will also arise before you. Education is not merely reading a book or learning a science. When you come to university, you prepare yourselves so that you can play a role and so that your impact on your society and your people can be evident. We want our Kurdistan to move forward year after year. In education, we have taken good steps. A confidence-building body was established in the Council of Ministers by a decision of the Council of Ministers so that it can advance the standard of education according to an international benchmark and standard. I see that the results of our universities, year by year The year is better, and education in the Kurdistan Region is progressing from the primary level to university, but it is still not at the level we want. Our hope and aspiration is that Kurdistan will never stop progressing, and that progress will be achieved through your efforts.
Once again, I thank you, and I congratulate you all on this success. May you always be successful, may today and every day of yours be filled with achievements and success, and may our Kurdistan always prosper.
