Kurdish psychologist Jan Ilhan Kizilhan was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit by Germany’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock on March 21, the day on which Newroz, the Kurdish New Year, is celebrated.
“Our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. @janilkiz who has been awarded the Federal Cross of Merit on Newroz by our foreign minister @ABaerbock for his outstanding work for Yezidi and other survivors of IS atrocities, for his courage, determination and his deep humanity. Piroza!!,” Germany’s Consulate General in Erbil posted on X.
A heartfelt thank you to the German Consulate @GermanyInKRI in Erbil for their tireless support of our work. Their creative ideas and projects make a valuable contribution to helping those who are heavily burdened. We are grateful for their dedication! https://t.co/YGtn3bFyqJ
— Jan Ilhan Kizilhan (personal ccount (1+1+1+1(4)=1) (@janilkiz) March 25, 2025
In response, Kizilhan thanked Germany’s Consulate General for their support. “Their creative ideas and projects make a valuable contribution to helping those who are heavily burdened,” he posted on X. “We are grateful for their dedication!”
“I am deeply honored to receive the Federal Cross of Merit, the highest award of the German Republic,” Kizilhan told Kurdistan Chronicle.
“This recognition is not just for me, but for all those who fight for justice, dignity, and humanity every day. I hope to continue our scientific and humanitarian work in other post-conflict regions like Syria.”
Over the years, Kizilhan has launched several projects to support Yezidis and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Kurdistan Region.
For instance, Kizilhan founded the Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology (IPP) at the University of Duhok in 2017 to treat trauma and conduct research on conflict-related psychological effects.
Ich danke allen von Herzen, die mir zur Verleihung des Bundesverdienstkreuzes gratuliert haben. Dieser Tag war voller Emotionen – ein Moment der Dankbarkeit, der Demut und auch der Nachdenklichkeit.
— Jan Ilhan Kizilhan (personal ccount (1+1+1+1(4)=1) (@janilkiz) March 22, 2025
Traumata endet nicht mit dem letzten Schuss eines Krieges, sondern über… pic.twitter.com/dl57wE6fHG
In 2022, he opened the German Clinic for Psychotherapy, offering free therapy in Duhok. Services expanded in 2023 with an outpatient clinic in Sinjar.
In 2021, the Lifeline suicide prevention hotline was launched in IDP camps around Duhok to support individuals in distress.
“We have organized four international conferences at the University of Duhok, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange in the field of psychotraumatology,” he added.
“Through these initiatives, we strive to address the profound psychological impact of conflict in the region, offering hope and healing to those affected.”
The Order of Merit was established in 1951 and is the highest tribute Germany can pay to individuals for services to the German nation.
