2025-02-22
"Kirkuk: Present and Future" Conference Commences
"Kirkuk: Present and Future" Conference, organized by Soran University in collaboration with a group of Kirkuk academics and with the direct support of H.E. Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), has begun its work.
The conference began today, Monday, February 22, 2025, and was attended by President of Soran University, Asst. Prof. Dr. Sherwan Sharif Qurtas, Dr. Shakhwan Abdullah, Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, MPs in the Iraqi and Kurdistan Region Parliaments, government and party officials, university council members, and foreign guests. At the beginning of the conference, Prof. Dr. Sirwan Amin Jabbar, Assistant President of the University for Scientific Affairs and Chairman of the Higher Committee of the conference, read the conference speech.
The SU President gave a speech, part of which addressed the issue of Kirkuk: "The issue of Kirkuk has been one of the most interesting issues in the region in general and Iraq in particular for the past 100 years. Unfortunately, it has also been one of the sources of Iraq's troubles." In another part of his speech, the President addressed the importance of the conference: "National issues are one of Soran University's priorities. In this regard, Soran University considers it one of its duties to participate in solving the Kirkuk issue. We want to find a solution to the Kirkuk issue through scientific research and allocating the academic capabilities of experts."
Dr. Shakhwan Abdullah, Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, delivered a speech thanking KRG Premier Masrour Barzani for his continuous support to Kirkuk and the Kurdistan Region areas outside Kurdistan Region administration. He also expressed gratitude to Soran University for organizing the significant conference, emphasizing its importance. "We cannot build Kirkuk's future without resolving its present," he stated, "and the only solution is to implement Article 140 of the Constitution, is to restore trust, and foster coexistence in this city."
Subsequently, Dr. Shihab Mohammed Shihab, the legal advisor from the Cabinet Office delivered a speech on behalf of Dr. Omid Sabah, President of the Diwan of Council of Ministers. This speech addressed the Kirkuk issue, Article 140 of the constitution, and potential solutions. Dr. Shihab also highlighted the importance that the KRG and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani place on implementing Article 140, noting that the Prime Minister maintains constant communication with the Iraqi government to resolve related issues.
The conference will be held on 22-23 February in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region.
One of the objectives of Soran University is to share the issues and concerns of the country by conducting scientific research and dedicating academic capacities to solve the issues. In this context, it has decided to organize The "Kirkuk: Present and Future" Conference, through scientific research and in six panel sessions, researchers and experts focused on the century-old issue of Kirkuk in political, social, geographical, and historal terms, the history and Article 140 of the Constitution, the Arabization process, land occupation and demographic change in the region, the negative consequences of not resolving the issues on the region’s population especially the Kurdish nation.
After that, the first panel discussion began: The nature of the population and the components of Kirkuk in peaceful coexistence"
Moderator: Dr Othman Ali
- Jalal Jawhar, a figure in the Kurdish component
- Dr Wissam al-Obeidi, a figure in the Arab component
- Najat Hussein, a figure in the Turkmen component
- Bishop Yusuf, a figure in the Christian component
The second panel: "Assessing the executive work of the committees concerned with the implementation of Article 140 of the Constitution"
Dr. Saman Sorani, moderator
- Raed Fahmi, former chairman of the Article 140 Implementation Committee
- Fahmi Burhan, The head of the Kurdistan Region's Committee for Areas Outside KRG Administration
- Dzwar Fayeq, KRG representative in the Article 140 Implementation Committee
Dr Rebwar Talabani, former chairman of the Kirkuk Provincial Council
The third panel:
Dr. Mohammed Shihab, Moderator
- Dr Azad Naqshabandi, Administrative changes in Kirkuk Governorate and their implications for the city of Kirkuk
- Shaho Qardaghi, The experience of coexistence in Kirkuk between past mistakes and future prospects
- Dr. Mukryan Aziz, Agricultural Land Lease Contracts made in Kirkuk accordance with the Dissolved Revolution Command Council.
- Dr. Adnan Majeed Mohammed, the Role of education in peace Building in Kirkuk Secondary Education as an Example a Field analytical study.
- Dr. Rawyar Jabbari, Ars Gor. Zana Baykal, MODERN IRAK TARiHiNDE TÜRKMENLERE TANINAN SOSYAL VE KÜLTÜREL HAKLAR
The fourth panel:
Asst. Prof. Dr. Hamid Abdullah, Moderator
-Asst. Prof. Dr. Shaho Ghafoor Ahmed, International participation in resolving the issue of disputed areas in Iraq
- Dr. Chinar Babaker Mohammed, Kirkuk and the influence of regional and international powers in the implementation of the constitutional article 140
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Hoshang Dara, factors of the Kirkuk issue in the Turkish foreign policy strategy - Dr. Mahdi Amin Abdullah, the future of Kirkuk a century after the Treaty of Lausanne
At the end of the first day of the conference, Dr. Sherwan Sharif Qurtas, SU President, awarded certificates of appreciation to the participants in the panel discussions.
Additional Images
