The mayor of Palermo (Italy), Leoluca Orlando, met with Ozlem Tanrikulu, president of UIKI (Kurdistan Information Office in Italy) and representatives of Palermo Solidarity with the Kurdish People (Rete Kurdistan Italy) led by Giulio Franzitta, on the occasion of a solidarity day with the struggle of the Kurdish people.

The initiative is held on the third anniversary of the city of Palermo granting the honorary citizenship to Abdullah Öcalan. Palermo was indeed the first city to grant honorary citizenship to the Kurdish People’s Leader, opening the way to many other cities to do so. Among them, Naples, Reggio Emilia, Riace, Patagonia, Pinerolo, Martano, Muggiò, Campobasso, Castelbottaccio, Castel del Giudice.

Mayor Leoluca Orlando said: “This meeting confirms the solidarity commitment of the city administration with the cause of the Kurdish people. Today - he added - we express our firm condemnation for what is happening to the Kurdish people. Next year, we will organise a series of initiatives to draw attention to the systematic violation of human rights against the Kurdish people and to reaffirm our commitment in defence of the Kurdish people and Öcalan. I want to reiterate my concern for the health of Öcalan, a political prisoner.”

The Solidarity with Kurdish People Committee said in a statement that “the liberation of Abdullah Öcalan is an essential condition for the solution of the conflict in Turkey.”

The Committee also welcomed the “support expressed by the City administration”.  

In the afternoon UIKI president, Tanrikulu, joined a panel on the revolution of Northern Syria and solidarity international initiatives.