PM Barzani issues two executive decisions regarding the Kurdish language

PM Barzani instructed all ministries to abide by law no. 6 (Official Languages Law in the Kurdistan Region/Iraq of 2014) to protect the Kurdish language as the official language in the Kurdistan Region.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani is pictured during a weekly ministerial meeting in Erbil. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani is pictured during a weekly ministerial meeting in Erbil. (Photo: KRG)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday issued two decisions regarding the Kurdish language on Mothers Language Day, according to a statement from Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

First, the PM Barzani designated both the KRG’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Ministry of Education, in coordination with the Kurdish Academy, experts and specialists in this field, to prepare a program to teach foreign workers the Kurdish language, the statement added. 

Secondly, PM Barzani instructed all ministries to abide by law no. 6 (Official Languages Law in the Kurdistan Region/Iraq of 2014) to protect the Kurdish language as the official language in the Kurdistan Region. All ministries should implement the necessary steps to use the Kurdish language in all institutions, governmental and non-governmental departments, consulates of foreign countries, foreign organizations, companies, and private sector institutions. Furthermore, businesses should employ the Kurdish language in restaurant menus, guides, and instructions. 

On Monday, PM Barzani in a tweet urged the use of the Kurdish language on digital platforms and digital media, in honor of Mother Language Day.

Read More: On Mother Language Day, PM Barzani encourages the use of Kurdish language on social media

Aimed at raising awareness of the diversity of languages and the need to preserve those that are endangered, the United Nations’ scientific and cultural organization, known as UNESCO, marked Feb. 21 as the day to celebrate the cause globally. The day has been observed since 2000.

According to UNESCO. 40 percent of the global population does not have access to study in their mother tongues.

The Iraqi Constitution, however, includes both Kurdish and Arabic as the official state languages and allows education in mother languages to be taught in schools across the country. This includes Turkmen, Assyrians, and Armenian.