On Wednesday, 10 June 2026, the European Parliament in Brussels hosted a special conference titled ‘The Future of Kurdistan and the Role of Women’, with representatives of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan and other Kurdish political and civil society organisations in attendance. The event focused on the future of democracy, coexistence and gender equality in Kurdistan and Iran.<\/p>\n
Initiated by Alessandra Moretti, a Member of the European Parliament, the conference featured a keynote address by Dr Kwestan Gadani, Head of the Central Executive Committee of the PDKI Abroad. Dr Gadani led the party\u2019s delegation and delivered a speech in English.<\/p>\n
In her speech, Dr Gadani emphasised that genuine coexistence requires far more than the absence of violence. She argued that lasting peace and stability could only be achieved through the recognition of ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious diversity, and through the creation of a political order based on equality, dignity and democratic participation.<\/p>\n
‘True coexistence begins when no citizen feels like a second-class citizen,’ she stated, emphasising that Iran\u2019s future depends on recognising its multinational, multilingual, and multicultural reality. She also added that democracy and national rights are inseparable and that a sustainable democratic future cannot be built while millions of people are denied equal recognition of their language, culture and identity.<\/p>\n
Dr. Gadani also highlighted the PDKI\u2019s commitment to democracy and national rights spanning more than eighty years, recalling the political legacy of the party\u2019s late leaders, Dr. Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou and Dr. Sadegh Sharafkandi. She noted that their vision was founded on the belief that democracy cannot be secured without recognising the rights of all national communities and that national rights cannot be guaranteed without democracy.<\/p>\n
A central theme of Dr. Gadani\u2019s speech was the role of women as a driving force for democratic change. She praised the contributions of Kurdish women in Kurdistan and across the diaspora, describing them as leaders, activists, educators, journalists, human rights defenders, and key agents of social and political transformation.<\/p>\n
Referring to the historic uprising that followed the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman from Saqqez, Dr Gadani noted that the slogan ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azad\u00ee’ (Woman, Life, Freedom) had become a powerful and universal call for justice, equality and democratic change. She emphasised that the movement demonstrated the inseparable connection between women\u2019s rights, democracy, and human dignity.<\/p>\n
Dr. Gadani further emphasised that Kurdish women have played a unique role in linking the struggle for gender equality with broader struggles for democracy, social justice and national rights. \u201cFreedom is indivisible,\u201d she argued, explaining that these causes are not separate struggles but different dimensions of the same pursuit of human dignity.<\/p>\n
She also highlighted the important contributions of Kurdish women in the diaspora, whose work in academia, research, journalism, politics, human rights advocacy, and civil society has amplified Kurdish voices internationally and helped build networks of solidarity based on equality, justice, democratic participation, and mutual support.<\/p>\n
In conclusion, Dr Gadani stated that peace requires justice, justice requires equality, and equality requires participation. She argued that no democratic future can be built while women remain marginalised, and that no lasting coexistence can be achieved without recognising the rights of all peoples and communities.<\/p>\n
She reaffirmed the PDKI\u2019s vision of a future for Kurdistan and Iran that is founded on freedom, democracy, equality, pluralism and mutual respect – a future in which diversity is embraced rather than feared, and where all citizens, regardless of nationality, language, religion or gender, enjoy equal rights and opportunities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On Wednesday, 10 June 2026, the European Parliament in Brussels hosted a special conference titled ‘The Future of Kurdistan and the Role of Women’, with representatives of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan and other Kurdish political and civil society […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":7422,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/100761_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p12yuy-1VG","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6908,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/kurdistan-democratic-party-of-iran-representative-meets-members-of-the-european-parliament\/","url_meta":{"origin":7420,"position":0},"title":"Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran Representative Meets Members of the European Parliament","author":"Ali","date":"January 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On Thursday, 15 January 2026, Hesam Dastpish, the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (PDKI) representative to the European Union, held a meeting with Mr. Daniel Attard, Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of the European Parliament\u2019s Delegation for Relations with Iran, as well as Ms. Avin Incir, Member of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Latest"","block_context":{"text":"Latest","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/latest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hisam.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hisam.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hisam.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hisam.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6949,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/pdki-representative-meets-with-chief-of-staff-to-the-president-of-the-belgian-federal-parliament\/","url_meta":{"origin":7420,"position":1},"title":"PDKI Representative Meets with Chief of Staff to the President of the Belgian Federal Parliament","author":"Ali","date":"January 21, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, Hisam Dastpish, the representative of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran to the European Union, met with Mr Aaron Verbrugghe, chief of staff to the president of the Belgian Federal Parliament. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the current situation in Iran and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Latest"","block_context":{"text":"Latest","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/latest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hesam3.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hesam3.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hesam3.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hesam3.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7068,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/photo-exhibition-on-victims-of-recent-massacres-by-the-islamic-republic-held-in-front-of-the-european-parliament\/","url_meta":{"origin":7420,"position":2},"title":"Photo Exhibition on Victims of Recent Massacres by the Islamic Republic Held in Front of the European Parliament","author":"Ali","date":"February 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Department of Foreign Relations of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), in cooperation with the Hengaw Organization and the Kurdish Home Organization, organized a photo exhibition in front of the European Parliament in Brussels. The exhibition showcases images of victims of recent massacres perpetrated by the Islamic Republic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Foreign Relation Activities & Reports"","block_context":{"text":"Foreign Relation Activities & Reports","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/foreign-relation\/activities-reports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/95972_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/95972_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/95972_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/95972_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7319,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/meeting-with-the-deputy-speaker-of-the-canadian-parliament-and-the-parliamentary-friends-of-kurds-group\/","url_meta":{"origin":7420,"position":3},"title":"Meeting with the Deputy Speaker of the Canadian Parliament and the Parliamentary Friends of Kurds Group","author":"Ali","date":"April 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On Thursday, April 23, 2026, the Representation team of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) in Canada - comprising Esmail Ebrahimi (the PDKI representative to Canada), Beyan Farshi, and Loghman Amini, together with Kurdish academic Dr. Fereydoon Rahmani - met at the Parliament of Canada with the Honourable Tom\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Foreign Relation Activities & Reports"","block_context":{"text":"Foreign Relation Activities & Reports","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/foreign-relation\/activities-reports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image-16.jpg?fit=1200%2C596&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image-16.jpg?fit=1200%2C596&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image-16.jpg?fit=1200%2C596&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image-16.jpg?fit=1200%2C596&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image-16.jpg?fit=1200%2C596&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6989,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/pdki-representative-participates-in-european-parliament-delegation-meeting-regarding-the-humanitarian-situation-in-iran\/","url_meta":{"origin":7420,"position":4},"title":"PDKI Representative Participates in European Parliament Delegation Meeting regarding the humanitarian situation in Iran","author":"Ali","date":"January 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On Monday, January 26, 2026, Mr. Hesam Dastpish, representative of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan to the European Union, participated in a meeting of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Iran. The session focused on the human rights situation in Iran, with particular attention to the plight of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Foreign Relation Activities & Reports"","block_context":{"text":"Foreign Relation Activities & Reports","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/foreign-relation\/activities-reports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hesam7.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hesam7.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hesam7.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hesam7.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7228,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/participation-of-a-pdki-delegation-in-the-special-meeting-of-the-social-democrats-group-in-the-european-parliament\/","url_meta":{"origin":7420,"position":5},"title":"Participation of a PDKI Delegation in the Special Meeting of the Social Democrats Group in the European Parliament","author":"Ali","date":"March 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On Thursday, March 12, 2026, a delegation from the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan comprising Hesam Dastpish and Aso Azizi, participated in a special meeting in Strasbourg, upon the official invitation of the Social Democrats Group in the European Parliament. The session, chaired by Mr. Yannis Maniatis, Vice-Chair of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Foreign Relation Activities & Reports"","block_context":{"text":"Foreign Relation Activities & Reports","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/foreign-relation\/activities-reports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/97118_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/97118_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/97118_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/97118_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7420"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7420"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7420\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7423,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7420\/revisions\/7423"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}