Good evening, distinguished guests, Her Excellency, First Lady of Iraq Khatw Shanaz Ibrahim, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Iraq Janet Alberda, esteemed diplomats, and honored guests.
First and foremost, I would like to sincerely thank the Netherlands Embassy in Baghdad and the Dutch consulate in Erbil for nominating us for this prestigious award. Your commitment and support for human rights, civil society, and CPT-Iraqi Kurdistan is invaluable.
I vividly remember the day we received the news of our nomination. Tears welled in my eyes, not only because this award is an honor, but because it symbolises something far deeper and more profound. It is a recognition of the immense suffering that families, farmers, villagers, and communities along the borders and throughout Northern Iraq have endured for decades due to relentless military operations and bombardments by Turkey and Iran. This award also acknowledges the sacrifice of journalists and activists who have been imprisoned, tortured, and even assassinated for exercising their most fundamental human right: freedom of speech. It symbolises that their efforts and suffering for human rights matter, that their voices are heard, and their resistance is seen. When we visit families, the only thing they want is to resume their way of life and to make sure that their story is heard.
Although we are deeply honored by this recognition, I must also say that the experience of receiving the award in the Netherlands has been an incredible opportunity for learning. It allowed me to hear the voices and stories of the other nominees, each of whom has faced their own struggle in the pursuit of justice and human rights in their communities. It also gave me a chance to learn more about the Dutch government’s global efforts to protect human rights, a commitment that reaches far beyond the Netherlands. Being in The Hague, alongside diplomats, decision-makers, and fellow human-rights advocates reinforced one powerful lesson: we are not alone in our struggles. It taught me that an experience of collective pain does not deliver us from grief or sadness; it is a ministry of presence, which reminds us that we are not alone in our darkness and that we all have to continue to resist in our own ways, like the journalists, villagers and activists we are advocating for. We stand together, shoulder to shoulder, united in the fight for human dignity and justice. This moment reminds us that the work we do is not just our own; it is part of a broader, global movement for human rights.
At CPT, we want to make it clear that while we are honored by this award, it does not signify the end of our journey. Rather, it is a call to continue our work and expand our efforts. We remain dedicated to supporting communities that resist oppression, even in the face of war and violence. We will continue to amplify the voices of journalists, activists, and all those who fight for the truth, despite the risks they face. As we say in Kurdish, “Resistance is life.”
Once again, thank you to the Netherlands’ Embassy, the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and to all those who have supported us, to everyone standing with us in this shared mission. We dedicate this award to all the brave voices who continue to resist and to all those who believe in a world where human rights are respected for all.
Thank you.
