ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Sunday called for modernizing education to prepare students for global job markets and paid tribute to the legacy of late Kurdish scholar Mustafa Zalmi during separate events in Duhok and Erbil.
Barzani delivered a speech in Duhok, marking the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the American University of Kurdistan (AUK).
“Education is not only a means to develop individuals, but it is a force that can build societies and build a bright future of nations and peoples,” Barzani said, emphasizing the importance of enhancing the education sector in the Kurdistan Region.
Barzani called for efforts to modernize education and prepare students for job markets both locally and internationally.
During a separate ceremony in Erbil, President Barzani hailed the contributions of late Kurdish scholar Mustafa Zalmi at the Zalmi Forum, marking the centenary of the scholar’s birth, describing him as a pioneer in legal and social reform. The ceremony was attended by prominent academics, religious figures, and members of Zalmi’s family.
“The late Zalmi was not only an academic and an intellectual but constituted also a beacon of reform and revitalization within Islamic thought and jurisprudence,” Barzani said.
The event featured a documentary highlighting the life and achievements of Zalmi, a renowned scholar in Islamic studies, born in Sulaimani province in the 1924s. Zalmi authored dozens of books and papers on Sharia law and philosophy, earning numerous awards and honors during his lifetime and posthumously. He passed away in 2016.
“We in the Kurdistan Region are dedicated to pursuing the course established by Dr. Zalmi. Our efforts will persist in enhancing social justice, safeguarding human rights, and ensuring that Kurdistan remains a sanctuary for tolerance and coexistence,” Barzani affirmed.
