Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw on Thursday participated in the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Joyce Blau Educational Community.

Located along the main Bahrka Road, the project will cover an area of 5,000 square meters and is expected to be completed within two years. The community will serve students from kindergarten to high school.

Joyce Blau was an Egyptian-born French linguist known as the ‘Godmother of Kurdish Studies’ for her expertise in Kurdish language and literature. She passed away on October 24 last year at the age of 92. 

According to Governor Khoshnaw, she was a “great supporter and friend of the people of Kurdistan, and made invaluable contributions to advancing the Kurdish cause.”

She authored numerous books and studies on the Kurdish language, literature, and civilization, dedicating most of her life to supporting the people of Kurdistan and promoting the Kurdish cause.

“Today, we are honored to witness the establishment of an educational institution in Erbil bearing her name – a tribute to her immense service,” Governor Khosnaw said at the event.

“For more than 60 years, she devoted herself to science, language, culture, and enlightenment, playing a vital role in raising awareness of the Kurdish cause and strengthening the friendship between the Kurdistan Region and France.”

Read More: Kurdish Leaders Pay Respects to Godmother of Kurdish Studies

Last year, Kurdish leaders paid their respect to Blau after her passing.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the family, relatives, friends, and acquaintances of Professor Joyce Blau,” Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said in a statement last year on October 25.

“Joyce Blau was a loyal friend to the Kurdistan people, who through her work, research, and publications, served the Kurdish language, literature, and culture.”

Dr. Nazand Begikhani, secretary general of the Kurdish Institute of Paris, told Kurdistan Chronicle after the ceremony that, “in addition to her excellent scholarly contribution to Kurdish studies, Joyce was a wonderful woman and engaged with the Kurdish cause wholeheartedly.

“After her retirement at the INALCO, she joined the Kurdish Institute and worked until the last minute of her life on a voluntary basis taking care of public relations, scholarships, and newly arrived Kurdish students. We worked together on these issues and I learned a lot from her. She is missed greatly by all of us at the Kurdish Institute.”