President Nechirvan Barzani congratulates Professor Rashad Miran

Nov 5, 2025 - 13:10
President Nechirvan Barzani congratulates Professor Rashad Miran

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday honored Kurdish scholar Dr. Rashad Miran during a ceremony in Moscow commemorating National Unity Day.

Putin honored contributions of outstanding Russians during the event in science, culture, humanitarian and other fields. 

Miran is the first Kurd to receive the Pushkin Medal, an award named after Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. It has been presented since 1999 to personalities who have made significant contributions to research, preservation, and promotion of Russian culture in the fields of culture, arts, and humanities.

The Kurdish scholar, a sociology expert who has played a prominent role in Kurdistan's political movement, referred in his speech to the "long-standing and strong relations" between Kurdistan and Russia, where he himself as an ethnographer has always been a supporter and collaborator.

“Between Kurdistan and the Russian Federation, there are long-standing and solid relations. From my side, I have always supported these relations and confirmed my participation in the friendship between both sides,” Miran said during a speech at the event. 

Miran thanked Putin in both Russian and Kurdish languages, asking for more Russian sources on Kurds to be available. 

“I would like to convey a request to you on behalf of myself and on behalf of my colleagues who speak and understand Russian. We want more Russian-language books, magazines, and newspapers, especially those about Kurds and Kurdish culture, to reach us.”

A Kurdish official welcomed the move. 

"We, as the government representation, consider ourselves happy and fortunate to be part of the proposals for this important and historic work being implemented for the service of Kurds and Kurdistan and the experts in this field,” Daner Abubakir from the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) representation in Russia said in a statement sent to Rudaw. 

Abubakir extended special thanks and appreciation to Maxim Rubin, the Consul General of Russia in the Kurdistan Region.

Miran was active in the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in the 1970s.

[Source: Rûdaw English]

President Nechirvan Barzani congratulated Professor Miran on his achievement. Below is his statement:

I am delighted to congratulate Professor Dr. Rashad Miran on receiving the Medal of Pushkin, a state honor of the Russian Federation, which was presented yesterday by President Vladimir Putin during a ceremony at the Kremlin marking Russian National Unity Day.

Professor Dr. Rashad Miran, a distinguished Kurdish sociologist and ethnographer, has made invaluable contributions to strengthening Russian-Kurdish ties across the fields of culture, language, literature, and history. His dedicated work deserves the highest recognition.

I wish him every success in his future endeavors.

Nechirvan Barzani
President of the Kurdistan Region

[Source: KRP]