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Download this audio partOn Sunday, 6 September 2026, the first day of the international conference “Jewish–Kurdish Relations in a Changing Middle East” was held in London, with the participation of political figures, academics, researchers, civil society activists, and representatives of Kurdish and Jewish institutions.
A delegation from the Kurdistan Independence Party, consisting of Ashtyako Poorkarim, Secretary-General of the Party, and Goran Dashti, a member of the Party’s Central Committee, took part in the international event following an official invitation from the conference organisers and attended the programme of the first day.
The conference focused on the history of relations between Kurds and Jews, national identity, the right to self-determination, state-building, geopolitical developments in the Middle East, collective memory, and the future of Kurdish–Jewish cooperation. During the panels and discussions of the first day, speakers from Israel, the United Kingdom, Europe, and different parts of Kurdistan presented their views on the historical experiences of both peoples, political developments in the region, and prospects for future cooperation.
The first panel, entitled “Zionism and Kurdayeti: National Movements, Identity and Survival,” examined topics including the formation of national movements, identity, political sovereignty, and the experience of state-building. The second panel, “Historical Roots: The Jews of Kurdistan and a Shared Heritage,” was devoted to the history of Jewish presence in Kurdistan, cultural memory, migration, and the continuity of Kurdish–Jewish identity among later generations.
Other sessions on the first day addressed regional developments, Western policy towards the Kurds and Israel, security issues in the Middle East, as well as questions of memory, genocide, and related topics.
During the conference, the Kurdistan Independence Party delegation presented the Party’s views and positions concerning the Kurdish nation’s right to self-determination, the need for Kurdistan to attain political sovereignty and independence, the necessity of redefining the place and role of the Kurds in the emerging map of the Middle East, and the importance of expanding political and strategic relations between Kurds and Jews. The delegation stressed that the historical relationship between the two peoples should move beyond sympathy and remembrance and develop into sustained cooperation in the political, academic, cultural, and diplomatic fields.
On the margins of the first day’s sessions and panels, Ashtyako Poorkarim and Goran Dashti held a number of meetings and discussions with political figures, researchers, academics, and conference participants. These discussions covered recent developments in the Middle East, the situation in different parts of Kurdistan, the political future of the region, the Kurdish question in the fabricated and artificial state of Iran and the occupying regimes of Kurdistan, as well as ways to expand international relations and cooperation.
Representatives of the Kurdistan Independence Party emphasised in these discussions that the Kurdish question should not be treated merely as an internal issue of the states of the region. Rather, it should be viewed as a political and international question linked to the right to self-determination, regional security and stability, and the future political organisation of the Middle East.
The participation of the Kurdistan Independence Party delegation in the conference formed part of the Party’s diplomatic and international efforts to expand relations with political figures, institutions, and research centres, as well as to present and promote its pro-independence vision at the international level.
The second and final day of the international conference “Jewish–Kurdish Relations in a Changing Middle East” was held in London on Monday, 7 September. The two-day conference brought together politicians, academics, researchers, civil society activists, and representatives of Kurdish and Jewish communities and institutions from the United Kingdom, Israel, Europe, the United States, and different parts of Kurdistan.
The Kurdistan Independence Party had been invited to the conference with a delegation consisting of Ashtyako Poorkarim, Secretary-General of the Party, and Goran Dashti, a member of the Central Committee.
The programme of the second day focused primarily on the future of Kurdish–Jewish relations and on how to move from historical ties and dialogue towards practical and institutionalised cooperation. The role of women in leadership, identity and community organisation in the diaspora, the voice and role of the younger generation, and the building of a long-term Kurdish–Jewish partnership were among the main themes of the day.
In the session “Women in Leadership: Together to Create Change,” participants discussed the role of women in political and social processes and the need for more effective participation in decision-making and leadership. The panel “Identity in the Diaspora: Building Community Beyond Borders” focused on the capacity of Kurdish and Jewish diasporas to preserve identity, transmit historical memory to future generations, and influence political and academic institutions in Western countries.
A dedicated session entitled “Youth Voices: The Next Generation of Leadership” also emphasised the importance of education, research, networking, and the participation of the younger generation in political and social processes.
The most significant session of the final day was “From Dialogue to Action: Building a Long-Term Kurdish–Jewish Partnership.” The discussion addressed the need to establish organised and sustained relations among universities, research centres, civil society organisations, political activists, and diaspora networks.
The central message of the final day was that Kurdish–Jewish relations should not remain limited to meetings and symbolic activities, but should develop into a sustained network of political, cultural, academic, and social cooperation.
During the second day’s programme, Ashtyako Poorkarim presented the positions and views of the Kurdistan Independence Party concerning the Kurdish nation’s right to determine its own future, the need for Kurdistan to achieve political sovereignty and independence, and the place and role of the Kurds in the future reorganisation of the Middle East.
On the margins of the sessions, Poorkarim also met and held discussions with a number of political figures, researchers, and conference participants. Regional developments, the situation in Eastern Kurdistan, the political future of Kurdistan, the role of the diaspora, and the development of international relations were among the main subjects of these meetings.
The two-day conference concluded with an emphasis on maintaining relations and expanding cooperation between Kurds and Jews.
The participation of the Kurdistan Independence Party in the conference formed part of the Party’s international efforts to present its pro-independence vision, develop relations with political figures and academic centres, and participate more actively in discussions concerning the future of Kurdistan and the reorganisation of the Middle East.
