PM Barzani attends 6th TedxNishtiman in Erbil
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani attended TedxNishtiman 2023 in Erbil, as the ideas-sharing event launched its sixth version of the annual gathering.
The event will feature 14 speakers, whose talks will focus on various topics, including agriculture, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Barzani was surprised by the event’s organizers with a birthday cake at the beginning of the event, which was earlier celebrated by the Region’s President Nechirvan Barzani as well.
Thanking the organizers for the “unexpected surprise,” PM Barzani expressed his delight in seeing the “spirit of innovation” among the youth.
“I have always encouraged our youth to be self-reliant and find employment opportunities for themselves” through hard work and determination, PM Barzani told the more than 1,000 attendees, pledging his government’s full support.
It is the second time since 2021 that the premier is attending the annual event, which is largely organized by young volunteers across the Kurdistan Region.
He later posed for a group photo with the young organizers.
#PHOTOS Thanking the organizers for the “unexpected [birthday] surprise,” PM Barzani expressed his delight in seeing the “spirit of innovation” among the youth. #TEDxNishtiman2023
— Kurdistan 24 English (@K24English) March 4, 2023
📸KRG pic.twitter.com/Fm9a40rAWr
Members of the diplomatic community in the Kurdistan Region, senior government officials, and activists are participating in the event as well.
من باوەڕم بە توانای گەنجەکانمان و بەهرەکانیان هەیە. ئێمە بەیەکەوە کوردستانێکی بەهێز بنیات دەنێین.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) March 4, 2023
سوپاس #TEDxNishtiman2023. pic.twitter.com/ch1KnJeH0R
The event’s theme this year is “empowering,” and features speakers from a variety of fields sharing their ideas on pressing issues facing Kurdish society. The focus is on empowering marginalized groups through innovation.
Kurdistan 24 is one of the sponsors of the event.
At least 40 startups are showcasing their products and ideas at the event, to promote youth-led initiatives.
TedxNishtiman is an independently organized Ted event, licensed by Ted event.
Since 2017, TedxNishtiman has mobilized 3,000 young volunteers, 20 percent of whom have found employment opportunities, provided by the event’s sponsors, according to Rawand Husen, the chief organizer.
“We believe in this country. We believe a brighter future is awaiting this country,” Husen said.
This year’s event has attracted nearly 5,000 applications from various parts of the Kurdish region, according to Husen.