Sema
President Masoud Barzani emphasized that the mother language is the foundation of authenticity, identity, awareness, and national solidarity, and that preserving it is a national duty.
In a post on X, President Barzani said: “The mother language is the foundation of authenticity, identity, awareness, and national solidarity; preserving it is a national duty.”
He added: “Happy Mother Language Day to all dear people of Kurdistan.”
February 21, International Mother Language Day, is a reminder of the languages that shape the identity of nations. This day is not merely a symbolic occasion; it is rooted in a history full of sacrifices and political and cultural struggles undertaken worldwide to preserve linguistic diversity.
For the Kurds, the mother language is not just a means of communication—it is a line of defense. In the first half of the 20th century, during the era of “one state, one language” policies, Kurds faced campaigns of cultural assimilation, including Arabization, Turkification, and Francization.
Alongside armed and political struggles, a significant academic and cultural effort emerged to preserve the language. Scholars like Amir Hassan Pour played an influential role in introducing the Kurdish language to the global academic community.
Through his research, especially in international journals specializing in sociolinguistics, Hassan Pour highlighted the importance of the Kurdish language and the risks threatening its dialects, aiming to ensure that future generations are not deprived of the right to learn and speak their mother language.