Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq – Arber Hitaj, President of the Association of European Journalists (AEJ), accepted an invitation from Mr. Hozan Qadir to be a special guest in Erbil for the 127th anniversary of the publication of the first Kurdish newspaper.
Mr. Hitaj’s visit included a series of high-level meetings with prominent figures in the Kurdish media landscape. The first meeting was held with Bestoon Nuri, Head of Relations at Rudaw Channel, followed by discussions with Ghazi Ali, General Manager of Speda Channel. Mr. Hitaj also met with Abdulrahman Kakl, General Manager of Kurdistan TV, to strengthen ties and discuss media collaboration.
A particularly significant meeting took place with Mr. Bashdar Hassan, President of the Institute of International Law (IRI), an institution that plays a vital role in supporting journalists and various interest groups facing legal challenges in Kurdistan.
Further strengthening relations, Mr. Hitaj also met with SharPress Media representatives, including Hawkar Izat, General Manager of SharPress Media, and Kamal Raouf, President of the SharPress Foundation.
The second day of the visit began with a major press conference attended by media representatives from across Erbil, where discussions focused on the status and challenges of the media in the autonomous Kurdistan Region. Following the conference, Mr. Hitaj and the AEJ delegation held meetings with the Governor of Erbil, Omed Xoshnaw, and Mr. Nuri Othman, Chief of Staff to the President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, who pledged his support for the media community.
Later, the delegation engaged in a key meeting with Mr. SadiAhmed Pire, Spokesperson of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), another major political party, discussing the media’s role in promoting transparency and democracy.
On the third day, the delegation traveled to Suleimaniya, where an award ceremony was held to honor excellence in journalism. The awards were presented as follows:
•Wael Dahduh, Al Jazeera Correspondent
•Ahmad Omar, Cameraman at Rudaw Channel
•Kurdsat Channel, for an outstanding documentary production
•Pishtiwan Jaf, founder of Pishti-News, recognized as the only Kurdish media outlet officially operating in Greece, providing vital coverage of migration issues across Europe
•Bashdar Hassan, President of the Institute of International Law
During the visit, an important Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between AEJ President Arber Hitaj and Mr. Hozan Qadir, Head of the Reporters Organization for Rights and Development in Kurdistan (RORD), the largest media association in the region. The MoU aims to foster journalism training programs to enhance the quality of reporting in Kurdistan.
As the Kurdistan Region commemorated the 127th anniversary of Kurdish journalism, President NechirvanBarzani released a powerful message celebrating the press as a vital pillar of democracy, progress, and coexistence. He used the occasion to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of expression and fostering a professional, courageous, and responsible media environment in Kurdistan.
President Barzani’s message added a strong voice to that of other regional leaders acknowledging the historical significance of Kurdish journalism and its ongoing role in shaping a resilient and open society.
This historic visit marked a new chapter of cooperation between Kurdish and European journalists, laying the groundwork for stronger media freedoms and professional development in the region.
Special thanks go to Kurdish journalist Pishtiwan Jaf, an active member of the Greek section of the Association of European Journalists, for initiating the idea of organizing this event with the International AEJ President Arber Hitaj and the President of the AEJ Greek Section Isaia Tsaousidou, with the official invitation from Hozan Qadir, President of RORD.
We were surprised to learn that over ten thousand journalists are currently employed in the Kurdistan Region’s media sector. The journalists’ union informed us about the problems they face and the challenges of their working conditions. With a significant number of female journalists and a rapidly developing media landscape, the need for training is immediate and urgent. We therefore agreed to return and organize seminars and training sessions to support their journalistic work. The establishment of a Media Observatory to monitor the state of journalism in the region is also being considered. Furthermore, the organization of a major international conference with the participation of European journalists is already on the agenda.
It is worth noting that everyone we met emphasized their belief in press freedom and their expectation of support in training and empowering journalists. A special acknowledgment goes to Hozan Qadir, President of RORD, for organizing these meetings and for inviting us to the Kurdistan Region.
