On Monday, March 21, the Kurdish National Council in Syria was happy and honoured to celebrate Newroz in its recently opened office in Geneva in the presence of a lot of international guests and Syrian Opposition figures.In a welcome address Dr. Abdul Hakim Bashar, member of the High Negotiation Committee for the KNC, provided an insight into today’s meaning of Newroz for the Kurds and greeted the guests, including Gareth Bayley, UK Special Representative for Syria, Franck Gellet, France’s Special Envoy for Syria, Fabrizio di Michele, Italian Special Envoy for Syria, Ivan Nielsen, Denmark’s Special Envoy for Syria, Michael Ratney, US Special Envoy for Syria, accompanied by other high representatives of the US state department, Robin Wettlaufer, Canada’s Special Representative to the Syrian Opposition, Eva Horelová, Policy Officer for Syria of the EU, Maxim Efimov, permanent mission of Russia, Katharina Lack, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Abdy Yaganeh, Independent Diplomat, as well as Dr. Bashar’s colleagues Fuad Aliko, KNC-member of the delegation to the Geneva talks, Siamend Hajo, Foreign Relations Office, and Alan Hassaf, KNC Geneva office. He also appreciated the attendance of the major part of the opposition delegation to the Geneva talks, and of several media teams.The evening was replete with enriching conversations, Kurdish food and music. The range and diversity of our guests showed that the Geneva office in a short time evolved into an place for networks as well as for communication, and underlined the necessity and importance of the role of Kurds in the peace and state-building process to reach a democratic and federal state.
Geneva, 22 March 2016
