The treaty signed 99 years ago in Lausanne, Switzerland, divided Kurdistan into four parts. Since then, the Kurds have been subjected to genocide, assimilation and massacres under the sovereignty of another state in each part of Kurdistan. Under the leadership of the KNK (National Congress of Kurdistan), 57 political parties and organisations are jointly organising a conference to take a stand against the Treaty of Lausanne from a Kurdish perspective.

Numerous politicians, artists and academics from the four parts of Kurdistan and the diaspora are participating in the conference at Rumine Palace in Ripponne Square where the Treaty of Lausanne was signed.

Attended by 267 people, the conference began with a minute’s silence, after which KNK Co-chair Ahmet Karamus greeted the participants. The council is made up of Zübeyir Aydar, Aziz Memli, Dilşah Osman and Blase Jabbar Ferman.

Karamus stated that all the institutions and personalities attending the conference would manifest their stance against the Treaty of Lausanne.

Following a cinevision screening detailing the treaty, Abdulkadir Omar from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) made the first speech. Omar pointed to Turkey’s increasingly ongoing attacks and threats against the Rojava Revolution which, he said, must be protected to avoid another Treaty of Lausanne.

Speaking after, Kongra-Gel Co-chair Remzi Kartal highlighted the importance of the conference, emphasizing that Kurds are no longer the Kurds they were a hundred years ago.

Speaking on behalf of the Kurdish Women’s Movement in Europe (TJK-E), Zozan Serhat underlined that Kurdish women will never submit to invasion and betrayal.

“Kurdistan was divided into four parts in this hall 99 years ago. Today, Kurds from the four parts of Kurdistan have gathered together here. Kurds should not be killed anymore. They should not be bombed by fighter jets,” Serhat said.

A final declaration will be released after the conference which continues.