The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Masrour Barzani, attended the graduation ceremony of the 30th cohort of the University of Duhok, where he congratulated the graduating students and delivered an inspiring speech focused on education, responsibility, and the future of the Kurdistan Region.

In his address, Prime Minister Barzani extended warm congratulations to the students, expressing pride in their accomplishments and optimism for their future roles in the development and leadership of Kurdistan. He emphasized that their success represents a great responsibility toward society, urging them to serve their country with dedication and knowledge.

Barzani also praised the university professors for their perseverance and commitment to education despite life's hardships, saying:

“You are our pride; you continued the education process and did not let students be deprived of their education. We will continue to serve you and hope one day to repay your efforts.”

The Prime Minister further expressed gratitude to the students’ families for their sacrifices and support, as well as to the Peshmerga and security forces for safeguarding the Kurdistan Region and enabling education to continue in peace and stability.

Highlighting his government’s commitment to education, Barzani noted the establishment of a trust fund to improve the quality of education across the region and praised the University of Duhok as one of Kurdistan’s leading institutions. He voiced his hope that Kurdish universities would reach international standards with the continued efforts of teachers and government support.

Addressing the graduates, Barzani shared two key pieces of advice:

Remain connected to your homeland, cherish your country’s history and sacrifices, and contribute to its protection and progress.

Protect the environment, stressing that development cannot be sustained without environmental preservation. He called on graduates to be examples and advocates for environmental awareness.

Turning to national issues, the Prime Minister denounced the discriminatory policies of the federal government in Baghdad, which he said prevent the employment of Kurdistan Region graduates in the public sector.

“The federal government does not allow us to employ our graduates like other parts of Iraq, which has caused harm to our students,” Barzani said.

He emphasized, however, that public sector employment is not the ultimate solution, and encouraged graduates to seek opportunities in the private sector. He reiterated his government’s ongoing support for entrepreneurship and small business initiatives to create more jobs for young people.

Barzani also urged citizens to participate in the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections, calling on voters to choose representatives who will “defend the rights of the people of Kurdistan” in Baghdad.

Concluding his speech, Prime Minister Barzani expressed confidence in the graduates’ potential to contribute to the advancement of the Kurdistan Region, saying:

“We hope to see you take Kurdistan toward greater steps and greater successes. May you always be successful, and may our Kurdistan always be prosperous.”
The ceremony marked a moment of celebration and reflection, honoring both the academic achievements of the University of Duhok’s 30th cohort and the shared hopes for a brighter future for the Kurdistan Region.