President Barzani attended the central commemoration ceremony honoring the birthday of the late Madame Danielle Mitterrand, a revered figure known for her unwavering support for the Kurdish cause.

In the presence of President Masoud Barzani the Consulate General of France in Erbil has organised a centenary celebration of the birth of Madam Danielle Mitterrand.

The Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region and the Ambassador of France were among the dignitaries attended the celebration.

The former French First Lady played a decisive role in urging world leaders to aid and protect the persecuted Kurdish region from Saddam Hussein’s military in 1991. She visited the nearly two million refugees who had fled a ferocious Iraqi assault to the Turkish and Iranian borders that year.

She was a strong advocate for establishing the no-fly zone over the Kurdistan Region to protect it against Saddam’s warplanes and helicopter gunships. She was later named “Mother of the Kurds” by the Kurdish leadership for her support.

Madam Mitterrand will always be remembered by millions of Kurds.