President Masoud Barzani and Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo on Friday inaugurated “Peshmerga Path” at Parc Andre Citroen, a tribute dedicated to honoring the courage and sacrifice of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

“Today, the peshmerga enter Parisian memory, their name now engraved on this peaceful pathway. Whoever comes here to stroll will know that Paris does not forget, that Paris pays tribute to those who fought so that freedom might prevail,” Mayor Hidalgo said at the inauguration ceremony.

“I also wish to once again extend my warmest thanks to you, Mr. President, for your presence among us. Today, Paris honors you and recalls this bond of respect and friendship that unites our capital with the Kurdish people and its leaders.”

In his speech, President Barzani underlined the historical friendship between France and the Kurdish people. “I will always be grateful to the French people, and the ties between our two peoples will grow stronger and more enduring.”

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In May 1989, Danielle Mitterrand, the wife of the then-French President Francois Mitterrand, visited refugee camps in Northern Kurdistan (southeastern Turkey) housing Kurds displaced by chemical attacks in Iraq. As a result, she became known as the Mother of the Kurds.

“Francois Mitterrand was the first European president to welcome me in 1992. The first European woman to shed tears for the victims of the Kurdish people was Danielle Mitterrand,” President Barzani said.

Danielle Mitterrand played a key role in campaigning for a no-fly zone in the Kurdistan Region after the crackdown on the Kurdish uprising in 1991, which led to the establishment of the Kurdistan Region. There are also two schools named after her in the Kurdistan Region.

In a press statement the City of Paris underlined that “the peshmerga are the symbol of the struggle of the entire Kurdish people for their rights and autonomy.

“For many years, the City of Paris has maintained strong ties with the city of Erbil ... In 2019, the Mayor of Paris visited Erbil and signed a friendship pact between the two cities.

“Paris is also proud to host the Kurdish Institute for over 40 years, a unique place for the promotion of Kurdish culture and language. The peshmerga are now marked on the Parisian map, in front of this exceptional view of the Seine.”

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“The peshmerga has performed a sacred duty, and the respect you have shown today reflects not only your admiration for their struggle but also the friendship between the French and Kurdish peoples,” President Barzani underlined. “Twelve thousand peshmergas were martyred or wounded in the battle against ISIS.”

“Long live Paris, long live Erbil, long live the friendship between the French and Kurdish peoples,” President Barzani concluded.