The French Consulate General in Erbil on Tuesday organized a commemoration ceremony attended by the top Kurdish leadership to mark the centenary of the birth of the late Danielle Mitterrand – wife of former French president Francois Mitterrand – who passed away in 2011 and was known as a great advocate for the Kurdish cause.
“The late Madame Danielle Mitterrand was a life-long friend and fierce champion of the Kurdish people. Today, we honor her life and legacy,” Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani posted on X.
During the event, President Masoud Barzani delivered a speech underlining that Mitterrand was a woman who has earned an immense debt of gratitude from the people of Kurdistan.
The late Madame Danielle Mitterrand was a life-long friend and fierce champion of the Kurdish people.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) November 12, 2024
Today, we honor her life and legacy. pic.twitter.com/iSW0sXZBXO
“I first met her in Paris in July 1989, following the massive Anfal operations carried out by the Iraqi regime in Kurdistan. She had just returned from Turkey, where many Kurdish families, peshmerga families, and citizens from the Bahdinan region had fled and settled in various locations,” he said.
“Madame Mitterrand had visited these people at that time. When I attempted to explain the suffering of Kurdistan’s people to her, I realized she was already deeply aware and needed no explanation. She described her visits to several camps near Diyarbakir and its surroundings, and as she spoke about those people, tears rolled down her face. It was really new to me – it was the first time I had seen a European person shed tears for the Kurds, and it deeply moved me.
“Thereafter, in every international forum, particularly in France, she strived to defend the rights of the Kurdish people.”
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 KRG. As a result, she is known as the Mother of the Kurds, due to her advocacy for Kurdish rights.
President Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani joined a ceremony to celebrate the 100th birthday of Danielle Mitterrand in Erbil on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/VlOghMRSK8
— Kurdistan Chronicle (@KurdChronicle) November 13, 2024
“During the first term of Kurdistan Parliament in 1992, she visited Kurdistan again and delivered a speech in Parliament. During this trip, she nearly lost her life when the Iraqi regime placed a car bomb on the road between Sulaymaniyah and Halabja,” President Barzani recalled. “The car exploded, but by miracle, she survived. Nevertheless, she didn’t alter her schedule and proceeded to visit Halabja.”
“This remarkable lady continued her support, doing everything in her power. That’s why we consider ourselves indebted to this great woman.”
During the event, a documentary was shown on her life, and a song specially composed for Mitterand called “Daya Welat”, or “Mother of the Homeland”, was played by the famous Kurdish artist Sivan Perwer.
Emmanuel Poilane, Secretary of the Danielle Mitterrand Foundation, told Kurdistan Chronicle after the event that the fact that President Barzani, KRG Prime Minister Barzani, and KRG Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani attended the celebration shows her importance.
Additionally, he said that, amid the turmoil in the Middle East, it is useful to remember what Mitterand used to say about tensions in Kurdistan: “She used to say that there is no future possible if the Talabanis and Barzanis don’t work together.
“All the leaders were present today, starting with President Barzani, which demonstrates that the bond remains strong and that the message Madame Mitterrand shared with the Kurdish people continues to resonate. This morning’s gathering is proof of why Kurds honor her as the ‘mother of all Kurds.’”
“It’s natural for people to forget over time, especially events from five or 10 years ago, which is why it’s so important to keep her message alive. It’s unfortunate that only President Barzani remains as a living connection to those early days, but by organizing commemorative gatherings, we ensure that these memories stay vivid for all Kurds to share.”
Soma Twana Yahya Marjan, a young illustrator selected by the French Institute in Erbil to create comics about Mitterrand’s legacy for the event, told Kurdistan Chronicle that she did not know much about Mitterrand. She also showed her exhibition to Prime Minister Barzani and President Barzani when they entered the building where the event was held.
“I’d heard of her once before – we studied her at school, but they only mentioned her name, they didn’t go into detail. Then, at the French Institute, I finally learned about her impact on the Kurds. It was shocking; I couldn’t believe I hadn’t known about it before. My parents did, but I didn’t. I felt ashamed.
France’s Ambassador to Iraq Patrick Durel also attended the event. “This shows Mitterrand’s legacy is also important for the French government and French people,” Poilane added.
Prime Minister Barzani also met with Ambassador Dorrell after the ceremony on Tuesday, and both “officials emphasized the urgency of forming a unified and effective government to address the evolving challenges faced by the Kurdistan Region and its citizens.”
There are two schools named after Mitterrand in the Kurdistan Region. The Danielle Mitterrand French School of Erbil was founded in 2009 by then-French Consul General Frederic Tissot, who also participated in the ceremony on Tuesday and visited the school again.
“It is important to visit these schools for three reasons: first, they have practical needs that France can help support; second, these schools serve as a powerful symbol of the bond between France and Kurdistan; and third, they represent the future. The students in these schools will grow up to be the new bridge between a free Kurdistan and France, embodying the shared path of our two nations,” Poilane concluded.
