Events will be organized across Europe to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Sheikh Said Rebellion that took place in Kurdistan. The program of events is being coordinated by a Preparatory Committee composed of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK), the Islamic Community of Kurdistan (CÎK), and the Kurdish Institutes of Germany and Belgium.

Conference in Brussels

As part of the events, an academic conference will be held in Brussels on June 27–28, 2025. The five-session conference will address the historical background, political impact, and cultural reflections of the uprising.

Numerous academics and researchers specializing in the Kurdish issue will participate. Among the speakers are Prof. Dr. Naif Bezwan, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zozan Pehlivan, Dr. Derya Bayir, Prof. Dr. Mesut Yeğen, Dr. Seda Altuğ, Mehmet Bayrak, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selim Temo.

Main themes to be addressed at the conference include:

-The political atmosphere in Kurdistan leading up to 1925

-The international context of the resistance and its diplomatic repercussions

-Assimilation and exile policies during the early years of the Republic

-The role of the Azadî Movement and Kurdish organizations

-The impact of the Sheikh Said resistance on other parts of Kurdistan

-Traces of the resistance in oral history, literature, and public memory

Memorial rally in Cologne

Following the conference in Brussels, on Sunday, June 29, 2025, a mass rally will be held in Cologne, Germany, to commemorate those who were martyred in the 1925 Sheikh Said Rebellion. The rally will feature participation from all four parts of Kurdistan and will be jointly called for by all institutions and parties affiliated with the KNK.

The Preparatory Committee has called on all Kurdish political parties, civil society organizations, and individuals to participate in the rally.