The Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) concluded its 20 year. In the last twenty years, the KNK preserved in a progressive way its existence against the backdrop of all progresses and complexities of politics in Kurdistan and the Middle East. It has been twenty years that the KNK has tirelessly been working for the realisation of national unity, causing it to become an ever-living discourse in Kurdistan’s society and politics. As a result of efforts of thousands of its members, the KNK has now assumed an important place in Kurdistan. In the past few years, moreover, not only abroad, but also in South and West Kurdistan, the KNK established its foundation ground and solidified it. With the organisation and promotion of national consultations and discourses, it also served East and North Kurdistan. Carrying out its national duties and dialogues it realised a significant participation of women in its ranks, facilitating the inclusion of their voice and colour in Kurdish politics, finding a place for the them in the national politics with their own branches and institutions. Within this context, the KNK pioneered a National Unity Conference for Kurdish women. 

Not only did it focus on the Kurdish question, but also the KNK entered into its agenda the question of other people such as the Assyrians, Syriacs, Chaldeans, Arabs, Turkmens, and Chechens.
As a result of the KNK’s untiring efforts, the religious beliefs of the Kurds such as Zerdeştî, Êzidî, Elewî, Şîe, Muslim, Kakeyî, and Yaresanî have assumed important places in Kurdistani politics.

The KNK gives a significant importance to the Kurdish language and dialects. It declared 15 May as the Kurdish Language Day. This day was later recognised as such by all Kurdistanians institutions and organisations.

On the anniversaries of the massacres of Dêrsim, Maraş, Helebce as well as the brutalities carried out against the Feylî Kurds, the KNK organised conferences. Also, to attract international public opinion on these massacres, the KNK has advanced organised diplomatic and legal campaigns.

At the level of international diplomacy, the KNK has assumed an important and serious position. It is recognised as the representative of the people of Kurdistan. In fact, it has created a balance in the politics of Kurdistan. It encouraged various political groups and civil societies to engage in national politics. This shows that the KNK has brought people and politics together.

Based on the aforementioned achievements, the KNK concluded its 20 year by holding on 18-19-20 October its 19th General Assembly in the Netherlands, which was attended by 350 members and guests. From four parts of Kurdistan, from Europe, America, former Soviet Union, the Middle East and Australia, members, guests and representatives of political parties and civil society organisations attended the General Assembly. Guests from South and West Kurdistan were also present. What is more, a number of Kurdistani political parties joined for the first time the General Assembly and helped the KNK. Application for attendance and membership in the KNK was ever higher and livelier than the past.
The 19th General Assembly was held at a time when a bloody war was imposed by the Turkish state on Rojava, Northeast Syria. Owing to this, the occupationist invasion of Rojava by the Turkish army turned into a major issue for discussion. All participants strongly condemned the invasion as an assault on all values and achievements of the Kurds and Kurdistanians. The partaking political parties and civil institutions put aside their differences and came up with a single national stance. They all said in a unison voice: “Freedom and status of West Kurdistan is our future as Kurdistanians”.

As a result of their unique struggle for identity and political status, the Kurds have entered the world’s major agenda. The Kurdish struggle for freedom has become a symbol for values and the resurgence of humanity. Particularly, the solidarity for the freedom struggle of Rojava has gone beyond the borders of Kurdistan and the Middle East, becoming an international phenomenon. From all corners of the globe peoples say: “Rojava is ours, we are Rojava”.
Against our people and all colours and voices of Rojava, the Turkish state has launched a strategic and systematic war. When one looks at the war plan and blueprint of the Turkish state in North, West and South Kurdistan, it is clear that the Turkish state intends to materialise the National Pact of 1921, as part of which they see the massacre and expulsion of the Kurdish population necessary. Turkish president says it publicly that he wants to enlarge Turkey and expand its borders by 2023 which is the centenary of the establishment of the Turkish Republic.
In a similar way they established the Turkish nation-state during the First World War via the massacre of a million and half Armenians, and hundreds of thousands of Kurds, Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Syriacs, they now want to expand the borders of Turkey through the massacre of the Kurds. The borders they want to change, however, are Kurdish territory. Kurds with their historic resistance in West, North and South Kurdistan have obstructed the Turkish strategy of border expansion. Owing to this, they have based their strategy on the expulsion and massacre of the Kurds.

Currently, the Turkish state has directly been engaged in war in two parts of Kurdistan (Rojava and Bakûr). It also prepares itself for a military, economic, cultural and political war in South Kurdistan (Başûr). Through the special war it develops in South Kurdistan, it tries to pit major Kurdish political organisations against one another in order to spark a civil war. But the Turkish state cannot do anything in this regard, because all Kurdish political circles know the reality of the plundering, colonial Turkish state.
As was made clear by the 9th October invasion, Kurdistan is at the centre of the third world war. In the formation and elimination of the regional and international political balance, the Kurdish stance and position is of decisive nature. The Kurds now have sound tactic and strategy. In this century there are plenty of opportunities for the Kurds to gain a political status. On the other hand, the Turkish and the Iranian states have increased their efforts to prevent this from happening.
The need for national unity is now imperative for the protection of our people and our homeland. Owing to this, there is a need for a national unity conference to be held in a short time in order to formulate a common strategy. The 19th General Assembly took upon itself the task of calling upon all political parties and civil institutions of Kurdistan to launch the national conference.
Based on the demands of the participants, the 19th General Assembly made some changes to the KNK’s Constitution. According to the previous Constitution, the KNK’s membership limit was 300. Following the change to the related article, this limit was extended to 350.

Moreover, the KNK’s Executive Council and its Co-chairperson were renewed. Ms. Zeyneb Morad Sahrab and Mr. Ahmet Karamûs were elected as Co-chair of the KNK for the period 2019-2021. For the Executive Council, the following people were elected:
Zubeyir Aydar
Şahla Hafid
Nilufer Koç
Refik Ghefur
Behzat Pîrmusa
Raman Majid
Leyla Birlik
Kwestan Dawudi
Akram Husso
Majid Hasso
Fuad Jamal
Said Saidi
Numan Ogur
Rodi Mellek
Amina Rad