ERBIL () — Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Thursday highlighted the role of young people in shaping the country’s future, urging graduates of the American University of Kurdistan (AUK) to contribute to society through responsibility, innovation, and constructive criticism.
Speaking at AUK’s graduation ceremony in Duhok, Kurdistan Region President Barzani congratulated the graduates, their families, university staff, and Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on the occasion.
He said the graduates were beginning a new professional chapter and would have an important role to play in the future development of the Kurdistan Region.
Barzani acknowledged the achievements made in the Kurdistan Region, describing them as a source of pride, while stressing the importance of recognizing and addressing shortcomings.
“A developed country is one that recognizes its mistakes, discusses them, and addresses them,” he said. “Constructive criticism does not weaken Kurdistan; rather, it contributes to the country's further progress.”
The president also called on the graduates to remain committed to their homeland, saying patriotism includes respecting the sacrifices of martyrs and Peshmerga forces and protecting the achievements secured through those sacrifices.
“Your responsibility is to identify areas and aspects we have overlooked, and to develop fields and sectors that we have not been able to advance as we should,” Barzani said.
Addressing rapid technological changes, particularly advances in artificial intelligence, Barzani encouraged the graduates to make use of technology while retaining human responsibility in important decisions.
“Technology and artificial intelligence are developing very rapidly and are performing tasks that were previously unimaginable,” he said. “Use technology, but do not delegate matters requiring human responsibility and decision-making to technology.”
He added that values such as loyalty, integrity, and serving society would remain important regardless of technological advances.
Concluding his speech, Barzani urged the graduates to take on leadership roles in society, emphasizing that leadership should be rooted in responsibility rather than position.
“Become leaders, but leadership is not only about rank or position. Rather, it must be based on a sense of responsibility toward your land and your people,” he said.
