KurdistanObserver.com

Historical Inaugural Meeting Gives Birth To First Ever Kurdish Studies & Student Organisation

By: Kameel Ahmad & Sarah Keeler

Feb 5, 2006

This week the UK Kurdish Studies & Student Organisation (UKKSSO) held its inaugural meeting at SOAS University in London. The meeting was well attended by a group of nearly thirty enthusiastic young people, post-graduate students and academics from disciplines as varied as law, anthropology and engineering.

UKKSSO was established late last year in response to a growing desire among young Kurdish people for a forum where culture, heritage, education and research could be explored. While a number of Kurdish organisations exist in the UK, none currently deals specifically with these issues, and students also felt the need for opportunities to raise public awareness and work with other organisations and communities to bring the rich culture of Kurdistan to people across the UK.  UKKSSO seeks to draw on the resources and interest within university communities to promote this.  

The meeting included a spirited discussion about future activities for the organisation, generating ideas including cultural and music events, seminar series and parliamentary campaigns. The draft mission statement was discussed and voted into use (the full version can be found below), and an Executive Committee of seven members was elected, to serve for the initial six months. We expect this period to be full of new positive developments, and hope that you will join us for many of our future events and projects. Please stayed tuned for details.

To become member of  UK Kurdish Studies & Student Organisation contact:

UK Kurdish studies & student Organisation

3 Bridge Avenue  London W6 9JA

Tel:0208 748 7917 Fax: 0208 748 7917 Mob:07958 647 705

http://www.ukkurdishstudent.blog.co.uk/main/

E-mail: ka61@kent.ac.uk

Mission Statement

The UK Kurdish Studies & Student Organisation is a non-partisan body that strives to promote greater awareness of the Kurds, their political and cultural situation in the Middle East and as a significant minority community in the UK. By organising political and cultural activities with an educational focus, it aims to cooperate with other organisations, and those in and outside the Kurdish community to encourage dialogue and an environment in which ideas can be exchanged freely and democratically. Its primary target group is university communities throughout the UK, in which social, political, and cultural issues facing Kurdish populations can be addressed through research, education, social interaction and awareness raising.    

As community members regularly in touch with mainstream UK society through their academic activities, Kurdish students are particularly well situated to undertake such promotional activities with the aim of building bridges of friendship and communication with others. The organisation also aims to give a voice to young and second generation Kurds, inside student unions and in society generally.

Guiding principles:

As a non-partisan organization, UKKSO does not reflect the views or the policies of any political organisation. However, every individual who holds any political views can express himself or herself as long as it does not interfere with the aims and objectives of this forum.

No one is permitted to discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, religion, gender, ethnic background, ideology, sexual orientation.

UKKSO is open to Kurds and non-Kurds alike, regardless of background, and welcomes contributions from those with an interest in issues affecting the Kurds, from all walks of life.

In principle, UKKSO believes in a peaceful and democratic process to bring about a solution to the Kurdish question in the Middle East, and recognises the importance of participation from those outside the region.

UKKSO does not promote violence in any shape or form and seeks to achieve its objective through democratic means.

 UKKSO is a student-led organisation based primarily at academic institutions throughout the UK.

UKKSO is on open organisation with membership eligible to all, and all guidelines and matters concerning the running and organisation of UKKSO will be voted on democratically by its members.