With the participation of 121 members and various guests, the First Congress of the International Kurdish Language Federation (I.K.L.F) was held on 27 June 2026 in the city of Düsseldorf, Germany. Necat Zanyar attended the congress on behalf of the Kurdish Institute of Lausanne (IKL).
At the congress, the President of the Kurdish Institute of Lausanne, Necat Zanyar, received the membership certificate on behalf of the institute. The certificates were presented by Şifa Barzanî, General Supervisor of the Kurdistani Revenda Confederation (KDC).
The congress elected its new board. In the vote, two people were elected from each part of Kurdistan. Necat Zanyar, President of the Kurdish Institute of Lausanne, received the highest number of votes (76) and joined the federation's board. The congress concluded successfully.
Final Statement of the First Congress of the International Kurdish Language Federation in Germany
Lovers of the Kurdish language, teachers, linguists and devotees of the authentic Kurdish language and culture across the world.
With the participation of 121 expert members of the Kurdish language and representatives of universities, academic centres and Kurdish schools abroad (in the diaspora), the first congress of the International Kurdish Language Federation (I.K.L.F) concluded with a historic success in the city of Düsseldorf, Germany.
The Kurdish language today stands before a great transformation: the passage from a stage of classical preservation towards a stage of universalisation, standardisation and integration with modern technology and artificial intelligence (AI). Holding this congress in the heart of Europe was a clear national and civilisational message that the Kurdish language is the centre and umbrella that gathers all the scattered capacities of the Kurds across the world.
The congress reached several strategic decisions, the most important of which are:
1- The federation's internal bylaws were amended and approved in a modern, institutional form, which will open the way for expanding scientific activities at the international level and for gathering all lovers of the Kurdish language around a national academic institution.
2- The congress approved the federation's logo, which is a mirror of the authenticity of our language, culture and national symbols, and is recognised as a universal identity of the I.K.L.F.
3- In a democratic and transparent process, the congress members carried out a free vote to elect the federation's new executive and administrative board and staff. The new staff consists of (nine) expert teachers of the Kurdish language; two members were elected for each part of Kurdistan and one for the Caucasus, who will take on the task of implementing the federation's future strategy.
Dear people of Kurdistan!
The success of the Düsseldorf congress is the success of the will of a nation that, through its language, conveys a message of peace, science and equality to the world. The International Kurdish Language Federation renews its pledge to continue as a faithful fortress for protecting all dialects of the Kurdish language and supporting mother-tongue education abroad (in the diaspora).
The Kurdish language, which for thousands of years has not been extinguished in the bosom of the mountains and among the verses of our poets, today needed the establishment of a great, universal academic institution to protect it. At this congress, that great national academic institution was established; this federation is a home for all those voices that wish to keep the mother tongue alive.
Over the next three years, this national institution will work towards the following goals:
1- Identity and Kurdishness: Strengthening the sense of Kurdishness and love of the homeland in the hearts of the diaspora generations through books and a unified educational reading programme; introducing them to national history and culture to create pride in being Kurdish.
2- Expanding online learning courses: Developing online Kurdish-language learning courses in coordination with the Ministry of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government; raising the number of learners from (3,000) to (10,000) and more in the coming year; delivering books and the reading programme in the Sorani and Kurmanji dialects to diaspora schools at the responsibility and expense of the Kurdistan Regional Government.
3- Expanding the national umbrella and standardising reading and education: Opening (50) further Kurdish-language schools abroad (in the diaspora) with a unified reading programme; encouraging all teachers, linguists, academics and devotees of the Kurdish language across the world to join the federation; issuing standard and accredited certificates to learners of the Kurdish language.
4- Language diplomacy and lobbying: Efforts to establish and gain recognition of a (Kurdish Language Day) within UNESCO and international organisations; establishing a (Committee for the Protection of the Kurdish Language) in all countries of the world to safeguard language rights.
5- Research and Archive: Digitising linguistic, literary and historical texts with the help of artificial intelligence (AI); establishing and awarding an (Annual Kurdish Language Prize) to encourage researchers.
6- National Language Fund: Establishing a financial fund to support Kurdish-language projects and the federation.
7- Training and professionalising teachers: Working with the Ministry of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government for the official recognition of Kurdish-language teachers in the diaspora; launching special pedagogical training programmes to develop Kurdish-language teachers according to international standards.
Esteemed friends, the International Kurdish Language Federation is the property of every Kurd who defends their language. We call upon you, as members, teachers, linguists and schools: let us grow this national umbrella together. Let us no longer work alone, but with one voice and one plan; let us make the Kurdish language the language of science and of the future of our generations. Your federation awaits you all.
Finally, the Congress Preparatory Committee extends its highest thanks to Mr Şifa Barzanî (General Supervisor of the Kurdistani Revenda at the Barzanî Headquarters) and the Kurdistani Revenda Confederation, the Kurdistan Regional Government, the official authorities of Germany, the political parties of all four parts of Kurdistan, the language institutes and all the media and satellite channels.
Congress Preparatory Committee
International Kurdish Language Federation (I.K.L.F)
Düsseldorf, Germany — 27/06/2026