KRG Lays Foundation for Joyce Blau Educational Complex
The complex, situated on the main Bahrka road, will span 5,000 square meters and is slated for completion within two years.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The foundation stone for the state-of-the-art Joyce Blau Educational Complex was laid in Erbil on Thursday, marking the start of a major private sector investment in international-standard schooling.
The ceremony was overseen by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Municipalities and Tourism, Sasan Awni. The project, commissioned by the private education specialist Zheer Company, represents a six-billion dinar investment in the future of Kurdish youth.
The complex, situated on the main Bahrka road, will span 5,000 square meters and is slated for completion within two years. Once finished, it will provide a comprehensive educational journey for students from kindergarten through high school.
Bakhtiar Hussein Ahmad, owner of Zheer Family Company, outlined the vision for the institution, stating it will operate as a non-governmental school under the guidelines of the KRG’s Ministry of Education, with all instruction conducted in English.
“The project aims to create an international environment for the education of Kurdish generations,” Hussein told Kurdistan24. He emphasized that the curriculum would strongly emphasize the importance of Kurdish language, literature, and history, ensuring students remain connected to their cultural roots while gaining a global perspective.
The complex is named in honor of the late Joyce Blau, a revered French scholar and passionate advocate for the Kurdish language. Professor Blau earned her PhD in Kurdish from the prestigious Sorbonne University, where she later taught as a professor of the Kurdish language.
For over half a century, she was a prolific writer and activist, promoting Kurdish studies in universities and publications across Europe and the world. The naming of the complex serves as a lasting tribute to her lifelong dedication.
On a poignant note, Professor Blau had been scheduled to visit Kurdistan to participate in an event in Erbil this November. Her passing in France in October 2024 prevented her from attending, making this educational complex a poignant and enduring part of her legacy in the region she devoted her life to studying.
The groundbreaking ceremony underscored the project's significance, attracting high-level officials including Mohammed Shukri, Chairman of the Kurdistan Board of Investment; Omed Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil; Karzan Abdulhadi, Mayor of Erbil; and Kendal Nezan, President of the Kurdish Institute of Paris.
The Joyce Blau Educational Complex is poised to become a landmark institution, blending international educational standards with a deep commitment to Kurdish cultural identity.
