President Nechirvan Barzani attended 29th Graduation Ceremony of 2nd military college in Zakho

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani delivered a speech at the 29th Military Training Course in Zakho, on Thursday. 

The Regional President encouraged graduates on their graduation day, required them to pursue bigger dreams.

It is not only about achieving a degree, it with service, responsibilities, skills and capability as well as forming the governmental organizations, serving Kurdistan.

“This is a great honor for all of us, your nine months of training and learning are a message of rich experience that you have received so that you can serve your country today," Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani addressed graduates "your degree is not only an academic qualification, your degree is a summon of honor, a symbol of loyalty and a great trust to serve your nation and country” 

President Nechirvan Barzani highlighted the Peshmerga troops’ roles to making sacrifices, defending country and its people with their own life, to protect the Kurdistan territory, Kurds’ cause, fighting for the freedom and glory of Kurdistan. 

President Nechirvan Barzani also stressed on a critical and serious matter of ISIS’ threat to the security of Iraq and the whole greater region, reaffirming of requiring consistent cooperation between the Iraqi army and Peshmerga troops.

The international coalition forces have been supporting Peshmerga forces against ISIS, and their assistance to the Peshmerga forces and Iraqi army has been strategic and decisive.

The full transcript of the speech by the Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani: 

“Beloved Graduates

Dear Attendees

Good morning welcome to you-all

I am very delighted to be with you respectfully participants in the graduation of the 29th training course of the second by the Military College of Zakho.

It is an honor to all people from Kurdistan, to have 792 officers completed their military, academic and practical education by the end of the training.

It is a great pride and to thanking for that after completing your university, you willingly came along to complete your military studies, and become Peshmerga officers.

Granting that title shows your love and loyalty to serve Kurdistan, you all may long live succeed.

It is more pleasing to highlight that among these graduates, 50 are Kurdistan’s girls, 13 are Yezidis and one is from Kakai graduate, congratulations, I wish you all the success.  

That is our common joys, I warmly congratulate you all, your families and relatives who are participating with us at this ceremony, today.

Congratulations to them, congratulations to you, I wish you the success.

I would like to say that there is someone among us today who attending this ceremony like a father, he was one of our commanders who served Kurdistan greatly, yet, unfortunately wounded in the Iraqi War of Independence, we with applauding welcoming Wajih Barzani is participating with us.

I am, as a family, like you, I am proud of you as your family is here today, I say to you, as a family, uncle, we are proud of you because one of the students who graduated here today is his son.

He educated and taught his son to carry on this path, the path that his father took and was wounded for the freedom of Iraq and the prosperity of our nation.

He disciplined his son to continue that path, may you all live for long and be proud and successful. Uncle Wajih, welcome to you, on the top.

Rest assured your efforts are to serve the Kurdistan Army, the hard work you put, will always be written as a golden page in Peshmerga’s fighting and Kurdistan, we are all proud of you and wish you all the success.

I hope women’s number gets increased next time in such courses.

Dear graduated community

From the day it existed until today, Peshmerga has been a pride, honor and great responsibility, from the day the name of Peshmerga appeared, introduced, Kurds and Kurdistan's faith in their cause and legitimate rights strengthened day by day.

Being Peshmerga is a very sacred responsibility, it is an important part of Kurdistan's national identity, it is the continuation of a long procession of fighting to protect our nation, to protect Kurdistan.

Therefore, your success and graduation today is not the end of the road. No!

Today, what you are starting today is your new service and responsibility at the governmental establishments for Kurdistan.

This is a great honor to you and all of us, during the past nine months of the training and learning, you have gained a rich experience so that you now can serve your country.

Your certificates are not only an academic qualification, it is a summit of honor, a symbol of loyalty and a great trust to serve your nation and your country, it is a sign of your readiness for any sacrifice to the country’s cause.

In the history of the Kurdistan people's liberation, the Peshmerga made great sacrifices, they gave their lives and spirit of resistance to defend Kurdistan and their nation.

Throughout the history of the Peshmerga, great sacrifices for the freedom and glory of Kurdistan were made, and bended to the enemy. 

The largest terrorist organization in the world took over Iraq and Kurdistan, it was the Peshmerga who defeated the legendary of ISIS with their lives and fighting.

Never let Kurdistan to fall into the terrorists’ hands, therefore, as long as there are Kurds and Kurdistan, the Peshmerga remain the inspiration and protector of the Kurdish people and will remain the symbol of resistance.

Hereby, we bow and extend our respects to the blood shed by the martyrs who fought and sacrificed their lives for the sake of that path.

On such occasion, I would like, once again, to pass on the Kurdistan Region’s thank to coalition forces, for supporting Peshmerga and Iraqi army to fight against ISIS.  

Their assistance to the Peshmerga and Iraqi army was strategic and decisive, a living example by international cooperation to meet the great common challenges that came on our way. 

It is also important to discuss the coordination and cooperation between the Peshmerga and Iraqi army forces against terrorists.

In particular, the joint work that was don’t between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army, especially in the areas of Article (140), where we worked together to establish security, safety and peace.

Today, on this occasion, we once again pay tribute to the lives sacrificed by martyrs who sacrificed their lives to defend of Iraq, whether from Iraqi army, Hashid al-Shaabi or from Peshmerga army, we believe ISIS is still a serious threat to the security of Iraq and this region.

Therefore, it is very important and necessary to have continuous assistance between the Iraqi army and Peshmerga forces.

This assistance must continue and who shed their blood to defend Iraq and Kurdistan, I hope that our continued cooperation to create security and safety to Iraq and a bright future to Iraq, Kurdistan and all people live in Iraq.

Peshmerga is a part of the Iraqi defense system, Iraq is expected to fulfill its legal obligations towards the Peshmerga and to support and arm the Peshmerga.

The Peshmerga is not a threat, Peshmerga is the defender establishment for Iraq, Kurdistan and the whole humanity.

Appreciation and gratitudes to the US forces and other international coalition partners for their consistent support to reform process of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs to reorganize and unite the forces.

This process is neither what we want nor what they want, at least not to the level we wished for, there are problems and it is going slowly.

We must all work seriously to make this process succeed, we must not disappoint our friends and allies who are working seriously to unite the Peshmerga forces. 

My message to our allies is, although this process is going slowly, we have a serious will to make the Peshmerga forces as a Kurdish national force and we will have one army, one ministry.

 There will be a single leadership to manage the Peshmerga army, we will solve all the obstacles and problems step by step until this process is completed by God's grace.

We are firmly committed to having a unified Peshmerga army, it should be a national army under the direction and control from Kurdistan Region Government and the Ministry of Peshmerga.

Dear graduates

Don't forget that the Zakho Military College educated you to protect justice and humanity as knowledgeable and capable commanders.

The high principles of patriotism, sacrifice and discipline are the main principles that should always remain in your minds and hearts and constantly think about these principles. 

By studying and learning in this military college, with the lessons of patriotism and loyalty to your responsibility, your land, not only in the ranks of the Peshmerga, you can play a special and important role in the whole society.

You can become role models and inspirational for future generations and a better future.

Your role is not only that of the battlefield, but your duty must be greater to build a peaceful and secure society.

Your other responsibility is to protect democratic values ​​and human rights, work to spread the importance of this value in society.

You will be an example for protecting justice, unity and defending the rights of all citizens in the Kurdistan Region. 

We are confident that you will be able to face the challenge and succeed your responsibility to serve your country to the best way.

To be in the Kurdistan National Force within the framework of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, never take sides in political conflicts.

Dear Attendees

On this occasion, regarding the complicated situation in the region, I would like to emphasize the Kurdistan Region's position that we are in favor of a ceasefire and a peaceful solution to all problems.

We do not want the Kurdistan Region and Iraq to get involved in these conflicts, every effort must be made to prevent the situation from becoming more complicated.

Finally, special thanks to the teachers, officials and directors in the second military college of Zakho.

Their work, service and hard work is worthy of great respect, their responsibility is sacred and their role is very important to improve and promote the duty of the Peshmerga, to train a patriotic character based on the military sciences, intimacy and love for the country.

The duty and service you are doing, building military colleges and academies, is the best loyalty to the fight, sacrifices and historical role of the Peshmerga, to ensure that the future of the Peshmerga will be better. 

Greetings and respects be upon the souls of all the martyrs who fought for Kurdistan, greetings to the living martyrs, to all the heroes who were wounded on duty of protecting Kurdistan.

We tell them, your service and fight are ahead of us.

Dear students, I wish you all a bright future and once again I warmly congratulate you all and wish you success in your lives.

Thank you so much.

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