Paris, the eternal City of Light, has given new meaning to its legacy of resistance. In a moving ceremony, a park and a pathway were inaugurated in honor of the Peshmerga, those who stood as humanity’s shield in one of the darkest chapters of our time. This gesture is not simply about naming public spaces. It is about etching into the heart of France the story of a people who defended not only their land, but also the universal values of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

At the ceremony, President Masoud Barzani declared: “The Peshmerga defended not only Kurdistan, but the entire free world. Today, Paris recognizes their sacrifice, and in doing so, honors the universal struggle for dignity.” His words were echoed by Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, who reminded the audience: “By dedicating this park and this street, Paris is paying tribute to those who fought for all of us, for humanity against terror.”

From historic bonds to shared struggles

The relationship between Kurds and France has long been written in both politics and poetry. In 1968, General Mustafa Barzani appealed directly to France’s then-President Charles de Gaulle, urging him to stop the flow of weapons being used against the Kurds. De Gaulle, who saw nations as communities of people rather than just states, responded with a moral recognition that still resonates in Kurdish memory.

This bond deepened in the era of Francois Mitterrand, and even more so through the courage of his wife, Danielle Mitterrand – lovingly remembered by Kurds as “Dayika Kurdan,” the Mother of Kurds.

“The Kurds may not have a state, but they have friends. I am proud to be one of them,” she once declared. In Halabja and during the genocidal Anfal Campaign, when silence reigned across much of the world, Danielle’s voice rang through Europe and gave Kurds hope that justice could still be achieved.

Cultural voices have long bridged the distance between Kurdistan and France, carrying shared ideals across borders and generations. The great Kurdish poet Cigerxwin, writing in exile, declared: “Even if our mountains collapse, our will shall remain.” His words captured the endurance of a people who have known exile and betrayal but never surrender. On the French side, poet Paul Eluard gave freedom a voice that “cannot be silenced,” a declaration of defiance that resonates deeply with the Kurdish struggle.

Standing at the crossroads of philosophy and politics, Bernard-Henri Levy – who visited the front lines of the battle against ISIS – reminded the world: “The world owes its protection from terrorism in part to the Peshmerga… and it owes the Kurds what was promised to them: an independent Kurdistan.” Today, those voices, Kurdish and French alike, seem to echo together through the streets of Paris, inscribed in stone and memory, reminding us that the fight for liberty knows no borders.

The Peshmerga: Humanity’s shield

When ISIS swept across Iraq and Syria, the Peshmerga were the wall that held back the tide, saving Erbil, Kirkuk, and the Yezidis of Mount Sinjar. They were not defending Kurds alone, but humanity. And in neighboring Western Kurdistan (northern Syria), Kurdish fighters – men and women – carried the same banner of sacrifice, proving the indivisibility of Kurdish resistance.

Paris’s gesture immortalizes this. As President Barzani said: “We Kurds have paid with our blood to defend the values we share with the free world. Today, Paris proves that those sacrifices are not forgotten.”

Walking through Peshmerga Park or along Peshmerga Path, Parisians will carry fragments of Halabja, Kobani, Sinjar, and Erbil. They will remember the courage of women who fought ISIS face-to-face, and the poetry and philosophy that tie Paris and Kurdistan to one shared destiny.

France has once again shown the way, honoring those who fought not for conquest, but for life itself. The question now is for other Western nations: Will they follow?

Paris has already answered. The Kurds are not forgotten. They are written into the map of France, and with them, the eternal struggle for liberty.

Ronahi Hasan is an award-winning bilingual journalist and documentary filmmaker based in the UK. She has worked with BBC, Channel 4, and major Western and Arab media outlets.