Erbil… On the anniversary of her passing, the statue of the Kurdish friend Professor Mirella Galletti was unveiled
This evening, Wednesday, September 4, 2024, in the presence of Sasan Awni, Minister of Municipalities and Tourism , Omed Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil, Safeen Dizayee, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Ano Jawhar, Minister of Transport and Communications, Aryan Salah al-Din, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Youth, Michele Camerota, Consul General of Italy in Erbil, Karzan Abdul Hadi, head of Erbil Municipality, and representatives of her family and relatives, a ceremony was held at Sami Abdul Rahman Park on the anniversary of her passing. The Erbil Governorate, in coordination with the Italian Consulate General in Erbil, unveiled the statue of the Kurdish friend, Professor "Mirella Galletti".
During the ceremony, the Governor of Erbil delivered a speech following his welcome to the guests and attendees, particularly the family of Mirella Galletti. He stated, "Today in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, we proudly unveil the statue of a dear and cherished friend of our people, a young woman who came to Kurdistan in the 1970s and dedicated her life to researching and studying the life, traditions, and history of our people. She was a member of the Kurdish Institute in Paris and experienced the challenging days of our people's revolution and struggle, sharing in their pain. What we do today for this dear friend is a gesture of respect and loyalty from the Kurdistan Regional Government for her efforts, work, and contributions."
He also expressed his gratitude, saying, "I extend my thanks and respect to the Italian Consul in Erbil, the esteemed Minister of Municipalities, and the consulate staff for their cooperation in making this program a reality." The Governor of Erbil explained that the placement of the statue in Sami Abdul Rahman Park is intended to keep her memory alive and visible, as the park is frequented daily by both local citizens and foreign tourists.
Finally, he expressed his appreciation to the artist Hadi Zia al-Din for creating the statue, and to the head of Erbil Municipality and the management of Sami Abdul Rahman Park for the support and facilities they provided in installing it.
Following speeches by the Italian Consul General, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and youth , and members of her family, the attendees unveiled the statue of Professor Mirella Galletti, a cherished friend of the Kurdish people.
It is worth noting that Professor Mirella Galletti, a cherished friend of the Kurdish people, was born in Italy in 1949 and dedicated a significant portion of her work, publications, and life to researching and studying the Kurds and Kurdistan. She passed away on September 4, 2012, in Rome. In recognition of her contributions and efforts for the Kurdish people and Kurdistan, a statue has been erected in her honor in Sami Abdul Rahman Park by the Erbil Governorate, in coordination with the Italian Consulate General in Erbil.
