Derik: Kurdish National Council Holds Lecture on National Identity and Ethnic Rights

ARK News.. The Derik Local Council of the Kurdish National Council in Syria (KNC), in cooperation with the Legal Committee of the KNC, organized a lecture titled “National Identity and Ethnic Rights,” delivered by lawyer Ibrahim Ahmad, a member of the Legal Committee.

The lecture was attended by a number of doctors, teachers, intellectuals, lawyers, dignitaries, and politicians, along with a delegation from the Kochara Local Council of the KNC.

In the first part of his presentation, Ibrahim Ahmad discussed the concept of national identity, outlining ten key elements essential to fostering a genuine sense of belonging among citizens — describing them as the foundation of any true democracy. He also compared different models of national identity across the region and the world.

In the second part, Ahmad addressed ethnic rights, reviewing the chauvinistic policies and exceptional measures that have historically targeted the Kurdish people, leading to double marginalization and a loss of mutual trust among communities. He emphasized that the solution lies in building an inclusive Syrian national identity based on constitutional recognition of ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity, ensuring fair representation in state institutions, and equal participation in decision-making.

He further stressed the importance of transparent transitional justice and addressing historical grievances in line with international conventions — such as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Minorities, the Right of Peoples to Self-Determination, and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Ahmad also called for the implementation of the Qamishlo Conference (April) resolutions through dialogue with the Syrian Transitional Government, describing it as a viable path toward a sustainable political solution that guarantees stability and balance, free from exclusion and marginalization.

He concluded by underscoring the need for the Kurdish delegation emerging from the Intra-Kurdish Conference (April 26) to engage openly with Damascus without compromising the Kurdish people’s national rights.

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