Kurdish Scholar Rashad Miran Receives Prestigious Pushkin Medal from Russian President Putin
Professor Miran’s recognition marks a historic moment, as he becomes the first Kurd ever to receive the award.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Kurdish professor of literature and sociology, Rashad Miran, has been awarded the Pushkin Medal by Russian President Vladimir Putin in recognition of his outstanding cultural, artistic, and humanitarian contributions.
The awards ceremony took place on Tuesday at the Kremlin, coinciding with Russia’s National Unity Day, a national holiday celebrating the country’s cultural and historical cohesion.
The Pushkin Medal, established in 1999, is one of Russia’s highest honors, presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the study, preservation, and promotion of Russian culture, art, and the humanities. Professor Miran’s recognition marks a historic moment, as he becomes the first Kurd ever to receive the award.
During his remarks at the ceremony, Professor Miran emphasized the long-standing and strong relations between Kurdistan and Russia, highlighting his academic work as an ethnographer promoting cultural understanding between the two peoples. On behalf of himself and his Kurdish colleagues, he called for greater access to Russian-language materials to strengthen academic and cultural ties.
Expressing his gratitude, Miran thanked President Putin in both Russian and Kurdish, symbolizing the cultural bridge his work represents.
Following the announcement, Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw congratulated Professor Miran, describing the achievement as a source of pride for the Kurdish people.
“We consider receiving this valuable award, which is presented annually by the Kremlin, an important achievement for our people, and we congratulate him once again,” Governor Khoshnaw stated.
The honor reflects both Miran’s personal accomplishments and the growing academic and cultural cooperation between Kurdistan and Russia.
