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Giyasettin Sayan, former Kurdish member of the Berlin State Parliament. Photo: Screengrab/Rudaw
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A former Kurdish politician in Germany on Sunday called on the country’s Kurdish community to establish their own associations and institutions, stressing that such initiatives are vital for preserving the Kurdish heritage and securing the rights of future generations.
Giyasettin Sayan highlighted to Rudaw “the importance of political engagement among the Kurdish diaspora and the need to familiarize younger generations with their cultural roots.” He added, “If we don't take responsibility for familiarizing them with their roots, they will assimilate and become German,” losing “their connection to the Kurds and Kurdistan.”
Sayan emphasized that Kurdish youth in the diaspora need to be actively engaged and “a large organization needs to be created to include them.” He added, “We need to establish our own institutions, including associations, archives, and schools for our children.”
Originally from a majority Kurdish town of Mus in eastern Turkey, Sayan has lived in Germany since he was 21 and has never returned to his hometown. He hails from a political family that has faced persecution by Turkish authorities, which inspired his strong interest in politics.
Sayan pursued academic studies in the field of political science in Berlin and served as a member of the Berlin State Parliament from 1995 to 2012, representing the Left Party (Die Linke).
"I have worked extensively on European policy. I hope Kurds establish relations with the United Nations and secure their place in the European Union, [the North Atlantic Treaty Organization] NATO, and all international organizations” he added.
On Sunday, 12 Kurdish candidates competed for votes in the German elections. While most Kurds in Germany support center-left parties, there are also some who belong to the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The CDU recently faced backlash for cooperating with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on an anti-immigration bill they attempted to pass late last month.
The AfD is a far-right party opposed to immigration and publicly supportive of mass deportations, and is currently polling in second place.
Giyasettin Sayan highlighted to Rudaw “the importance of political engagement among the Kurdish diaspora and the need to familiarize younger generations with their cultural roots.” He added, “If we don't take responsibility for familiarizing them with their roots, they will assimilate and become German,” losing “their connection to the Kurds and Kurdistan.”
Sayan emphasized that Kurdish youth in the diaspora need to be actively engaged and “a large organization needs to be created to include them.” He added, “We need to establish our own institutions, including associations, archives, and schools for our children.”
Originally from a majority Kurdish town of Mus in eastern Turkey, Sayan has lived in Germany since he was 21 and has never returned to his hometown. He hails from a political family that has faced persecution by Turkish authorities, which inspired his strong interest in politics.
Sayan pursued academic studies in the field of political science in Berlin and served as a member of the Berlin State Parliament from 1995 to 2012, representing the Left Party (Die Linke).
"I have worked extensively on European policy. I hope Kurds establish relations with the United Nations and secure their place in the European Union, [the North Atlantic Treaty Organization] NATO, and all international organizations” he added.
On Sunday, 12 Kurdish candidates competed for votes in the German elections. While most Kurds in Germany support center-left parties, there are also some who belong to the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The CDU recently faced backlash for cooperating with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on an anti-immigration bill they attempted to pass late last month.
The AfD is a far-right party opposed to immigration and publicly supportive of mass deportations, and is currently polling in second place.
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