PDKI Delegation Attends Barzani Charity Foundation Event at U.S. Congress
Held on Monday, November 9, 2026, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, the event was organized by the foundation’s U.S. representation to honor Kurdish Peshmerga and American veterans, promote peaceful coexistence, and recognize supporters of humanitarian work.
In his address, titled “The Kurdish Peshmerga: A Legacy of Courage, Sacrifice, and Humanity,” Berenji described the Peshmerga as an expression of a nation’s determination to protect its homeland and the future of its children. He stressed that this legacy belongs to all of Kurdistan.
“Our geography may be divided. Our responsibility to one another must not be,” he said.
Berenji highlighted Iranian Kurdistan, or Rojhelat, and its place in the Kurdish national struggle. He recalled the Republic of Kurdistan in Mahabad in 1946 and the shared struggle of Peshawa Qazi Muhammad and Mustafa Barzani. He also addressed repression in Rojhelat, the assassinations of Abdulrahman Ghassemlou and Sadegh Sharafkandi, and the role of Kurdish women and young people in the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising.
While honoring the partnership between Peshmerga and American forces in the fight against ISIS, Berenji stressed that Kurdish rights must not depend on the military needs of others.
“Kurdish rights are not a reward for military service. They belong to our people whether or not the world needs us on a battlefield,” he said.
Turning to the humanitarian consequences of conflict, Berenji discussed missile and drone attacks by Iran and Tehran-aligned forces on the Kurdistan Region, including camps and homes sheltering refugees from Iranian Kurdistan. He called for protection for families, treatment for the wounded, safe accommodation, and continued schooling for displaced children.
“A Kurdish child is not collateral. A refugee camp is not a battlefield,” he said.
Berenji also expressed solidarity with communities affected by flooding in Erbil and parts of Rojhelat, including Javanrud and Ilam, and praised the Barzani Charity Foundation’s relief efforts. He stressed that suffering in any part of Kurdistan concerns all Kurds, and that political disagreements must never obstruct assistance or protection for people in need.
The PDKI representative underscored the rights and freedoms of all communities in Kurdistan. Addressing American friends of the Kurdish people, he called for a partnership that extends beyond military cooperation to support families facing danger and hardship.
He concluded that the greatest tribute to the Peshmerga’s sacrifices would be a generation able to live, learn, and pursue its aspirations in a free and peaceful Kurdistan.
