A monument in Erbil in memory of Mirella Galletti

On 4 September, a monument in memory of the Italian journalist and academic Mirella Galletti, a great scholar and friend of the Kurdish people, was inaugurated on the main avenue of Sami Abdulrahman Park, the most prominent public park in the regional capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, Erbil.

The initiative was spearheaded by Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw, in collaboration with and at the suggestion of the Consulate General of Italy. The bronze bust of Professor Galletti was created by Kurdish-Iranian artist Hadi Ziaoddini. In addition to Khoshnaw and Italian Consul Michele Camerota, the event was attended by the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Safeen Dizayee, the Minister of Municipalities and Tourism, Sasan Awmi, and the Deputy Minister of Culture, Arian Salahaddin, who expressed deep appreciation for a friend of the Kurds who had chronicled their history, their sacrifices, and their past sufferings, as well as their customs, traditions, and cuisine. Additionally, the Minister of Transport and Communications, Ano Abdoka, issued a commemorative stamp dedicated to the distinguished Italian.

For the occasion, Andrea and Serena, the late Professor Galletti's niece and nephew, travelled from Italy. Galletti, who had no children, often said she had "married the Kurdish cause." Born in 1949 in Anzola dell'Emilia, a small town in the province of Bologna, Galletti earned a Ph.D. in 1974 from the prestigious University of Bologna with a thesis on "The Political Structure and Cultural Values of Kurdish Society." From that moment until her premature death in 2012, she continued this line of study, traveling extensively throughout the region, dedicating both her academic research and personal life to the Kurds and the Islamic world. She authored dozens of books, hundreds of articles, and in-depth research on a wide range of topics, including the issue of Christian communities in the Middle East. She taught at the universities of Bologna, Trieste, Venice, Milan, and Naples and worked at the Kurdish Institute in Paris from its founding in 1983, where much of her work and personal library are now housed.

Consul Camerota thanked the regional authorities for embracing the proposal without hesitation and noted he was deeply moved by the unanimous enthusiasm the initiative received, with heartfelt expressions of gratitude from the Kurdish community, reflecting their hospitality and capacity for appreciation. He added that "Mirella Galletti's life and academic work were marked by a rare humility, a deep sense of justice, and extraordinary generosity towards others. Personalities like her undoubtedly helped strengthen the bonds of friendship between the Kurds and Italy." Camerota also conveyed greetings from Iraq's Ambassador in Rome, Saywan Barzani, a close friend of Mirella Galletti and one of the last to see her alive, just hours before her passing on 4 September, twelve years ago. A message of appreciation was also received from Dr. Rezan Kader, Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Italy.