On June 2, 2025, the Centre for Kurdish Progress held a Special Parliamentary Meeting in honor of legendary Kurdish musician, poet, and activist Sivan Perwer in London. The event took place in the House of Commons at the UK Parliament and was attended by numerous officials, including Lord David Paul, Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology Feryal Clark, and Kurdish politician in exile Osman Baydemir. The event brought together parliamentarians, business leaders, and members of the Kurdish community to honor Kurdish culture, music, and art.

“We are deeply honored to present this award to Sivan Perwer, a legendary figure whose music and message have inspired generations of Kurds and friends of Kurdistan around the world,” Ibrahim Dogus, Founder of the Centre for Kurdish Progress, told Kurdistan Chronicle. “Sivan’s lifelong dedication to Kurdish culture, language, and the struggle for justice through art is nothing short of extraordinary. This event is a tribute not only to his immense talent, but also to his enduring role as a voice for the Kurdish people and a beacon of hope in difficult times.”

At the beginning of the event, Perwer briefly discussed his artistic journey, the challenges he faced in his early years, and his life in exile. “Before I began singing in Kurdish, many friends and relatives encouraged me to sing in Turkish, but I refused. I said I would not be part of those artists who contribute to the assimilation of Kurds by singing in Turkish,” he told the audience.

“I wrote and recorded my first Kurdish song called ‘Ka Kurdistana min Ka’ (Oh, My Kurdistan), and within two to three months, it gained great popularity. This gave me the strength to continue and compose many more songs despite the challenges and injustices I continued to face.”

Perwer’s music is not only composed in Kurdish, but in many other languages and styles, including hard rock, rap, and jazz. He draws from many world cultures and is recognized as an international artist.

During his speech, Perwer shed light on other topics, taking the audience back in time. “Because we don’t have a state of our own, I faced many hardships – and still do,” he said. He hopes that just like how the UK established many English-speaking states around the world including the United States, New Zealand, and Canada, “I hope the UK helps us establish an independent Kurdistan.”

Perwer recounted his first visit to the Kurdistan Region in 1991. “At the invitation of France’s First Lady Danielle Mitterrand, I visited Southern Kurdistan (Kurdistan Region of Iraq) for the first time in 1991. At that time, we traveled through Iran. I feared I might be detained by Iran, but Mitterrand listed me as a journalist in the delegation.”

He also expressed hope for the current peace process in Turkey. “In Turkey, the government has made some attempts at reform. I hope the peace process succeeds there, and that we can all praise and support those who work for peace and change.”

Kurdish politician Osman Baydemir praised Perwer’s artistic power and influence. “Just looking at you takes me back to my childhood when our language and songs were banned in our homeland,” Baydemir recounted. “A time when being Kurdish was something dangerous and fearful. I would like to thank Sivan Perwer on behalf of everyone for his efforts and dedication to Kurdish art. You are our minister of culture and ambassador of peace between Kurds, Arabs, Persians, and Turks – a bridge between South, North, East, and West Kurdistan.”

Kurdish-British Member of Parliament Feryal Clark also praised Perwer’s art, stating, “During my childhood, his songs symbolized resistance and the Kurdish struggle across the region. I remember clearly as a child we sang ‘Ez Xelefim Xelef’ and danced to it. Your music has continuously inspired the Kurds to stand for their rights and resist.”

At the end of the event, Lord David Paul and Feryal Clark presented the Centre for Kurdish Progress Lifetime Honor Award to Sivan Perwer for his 50 years of artistic contribution.