With the presence of the Kurdistan Independence Movement, the first joint Kurdish–Jewish Congress was convened on 7 September 2025 in Berlin.
The inaugural Kurdish–Jewish Congress took place on Sunday, 7 September 2025, in Berlin, attended by prominent Kurdish figures, a representative of the Israeli government and ambassador, as well as a number of senior German officials.
The purpose of this congress was to highlight the theme of “Shared Pain and Shared Defense,” recognising antisemitism and anti-Kurdish hostility as parallel wounds and stressing the need to confront these two dangerous phenomena simultaneously.
A delegation from the Kurdistan Independence Movement, led by Ashtyako Poorkarim (head of the movement) and accompanied by Masoud Pazhohi (leadership member) and Goran Dashti (executive board member), took part in the event.
Ashtyako Poorkarim’s book “Israel and Kurdistan” was also warmly received by participants on the sidelines of the congress.
In his address to German and European officials, the representative of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said:
“You ask Kurds and Jews to lay down their weapons, but this request should be directed at Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis of Yemen.
If they put down their weapons, peace and calm will prevail; but if we — whether Israelis or Kurds — stop defending ourselves, we will not only be destroyed, but terrorism will gain strength, and the small measure of democracy and freedom that the Jewish and Kurdish nations have achieved through countless sacrifices will disappear.
The destruction of this freedom and democracy will ultimately mean the defeat of the West and Europe.”
The congress concluded with the reading of a declaration titled “Shared Challenges – Shared Values.”
The text of the congress statement is as follows:
Shared Challenges – Common Values
Joint Declaration of the Kurdish Community of Germany e.V. and the WerteInitiative – Jewish-German Positions e.V.
Berlin, 7 September 2025 – Today, the Kurdish Community of Germany e.V. and the WerteInitiative e.V. came together in the framework of the first Kurdish-Jewish Congress in Berlin. This historic moment marks the beginning of a new alliance between two communities that, despite all their differences, share a common foundation: a determined commitment to democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.
Shared Values and Responsibility
Our two organisations are convinced that the liberal-democratic foundation of the Federal Republic will only remain sustainable if it is actively lived, protected, and further developed. Jewish and Kurdish life in Germany alike stand for diversity, pluralism, and the will to defend an open society.
We stand for a coexistence in which individual identities are protected, respected, and freely lived – on the basis of shared values.
Shared Experiences and Challenges
Kurds as well as Jews know what it means to be marginalised as a minority and turned into a target. Antisemitism and hostility toward Kurds, terror by political extremists and Islamists, as well as social exclusion are bitter realities that unite us. Added to this is the experience that extremist actors – whether Islamist, nationalist, or anti-Western – attempt to pit our communities against each other.
Today’s congress has shown: this calculation will fail. We will not be divided but stand side by side.
A Clear Stand Against Ideologies of Unfreedom
We resolutely oppose the growing influence of Islamist and nationalist ideologies that emanate from regimes such as Turkey, Iran, parts of the Arab world, but also from forces within Germany. These forces threaten not only our communities but the liberal order as a whole.
As Jewish and Kurdish actors in Germany, we will work to ensure that these dangers are clearly identified and effectively combated.
Political Demands
So that democracy, freedom, and the rule of law do not remain empty words, we call on politics and society to take concrete steps:
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Consistent fight against antisemitism and hostility toward Kurds:
This requires a triad of prevention, intervention, and prosecution. There must be effective and informed structures for prevention, civic education, and law enforcement, as well as greater social and institutional awareness of Islamism, German and non-German right-wing extremism, left-wing extremism, antisemitism, and hostility toward Kurds. -
Stronger action against Islamism and racist nationalism:
Organisations that, on behalf of authoritarian regimes such as Turkey or Iran, sow division or promote extremism in Germany must be pursued politically and legally with consistency. This also includes a determined effort against their propaganda networks, associations, and front organisations. -
An end to structural discrimination against Kurds:
There must be a change in the practice of recognising Kurdish identity – socially and institutionally. Kurds constitute a common ethnic group, and this must be acknowledged regardless of differing nationalities. -
Minority protection as protection of the individual and clear prioritisation in integration policy:
The state must ensure that Jewish and Kurdish life in Germany is not only formally but also factually protected. Those who claim belonging to Germany must recognise the liberal-democratic basic order and clearly distance themselves from antisemitic, Islamist, and nationalist ideologies. -
Clarity in foreign policy:
The federal government must not allow itself to be blackmailed by autocratic regimes. We call for a values-based foreign policy that places human rights at its centre, protects relations with Israel, and seriously considers the legitimate rights and concerns of the Kurds in the region. We support the Kurdish people’s right to self-determination as well as the protection and recognition of their cultural and political identity. -
Promotion of a democratic civil society:
Instead of identity-political division, we need programmes that bring together people of different backgrounds through shared values. It must become clear that democratic values are not background music but the indispensable, non-negotiable foundation of our society. Kurdish and Jewish organisations can be important partners in strengthening this awareness.
Looking Ahead: Alliance for a Strong Democracy
The Kurdish-Jewish alliance is not a purely bilateral initiative. It sees itself as an invitation to all who want to stand up for democracy, the rule of law, and freedom. Our goal is to build bridges, strengthen alliances, and develop new forms of solidarity and cooperation.
The first Kurdish-Jewish Congress has shown: despite different backgrounds, experiences, and identities, we share a common vision. Together we stand for a society in which diversity is not a threat but a strength – and in which the values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law form the unshakable foundation.
Kurdish Community of Germany e.V.
WerteInitiative – Jewish-German Positions e.V.
