WATCH: French philosopher says world ‘owes’ Kurds their independence

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan24) – In an exclusive interview with Kurdistan24, French philosopher and author Bernard-Henri Lévy said the world was indebted to the efforts made by the Peshmerga.

Lévy, who visited a Peshmerga front line in October 2016, said he witnessed the bravery and determination of the Kurdish forces.

The French intellectual mentioned the “bravery [and] the courage” demonstrated by the Peshmerga was not so frequent in modern human history.

Additionally, he pointed to the sacrifices made by the Kurdish forces to protect values “higher than themselves.”

“The Peshmerga [are making sacrifices] for themselves [and] also for the rest of the world,” Lévy stated.

“They are fighting for their family, and they are fighting for my family,” he continued.

The French philosopher noted the international community owed their protection from terrorism “in part to the Peshmerga.”

“The Free World has a debt regarding the Kurds and the Peshmerga,” he said.

“The debt is the commitment of the Kurds to the highest values for me which is freedom, tolerance, acceptance of the faith of others,” Lévy explained.

Moreover, the French author addressed Kurds’ desire for independence and said that “the world owes [Kurds] what was promised to them…which is an independent Kurdistan.”

“I think it’s time now to honor this debt,” he said.

Lévy also mentioned the Kurds had demonstrated great tolerance concerning the different faiths in the Kurdistan Region.

He concluded by praising the President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani whom he believed would be “the father of the victory” regarding Kurdish independence.

(Rahim Rashidi conducted the interview in Washington, DC)