The College of Languages at the University of Human Development (UHD) conducted a panel titled ‘Mother Language Day: Promoting Kurdish in the Digital Age’ with several specialists on International Mother Language Day to explore various aspects of the Kurdish language, propose ways to further develop the language, and offer solutions to overcome obstacles. It was held at Prof. Dr Ali Qaradaghi Hall on the 23rd of February 2025.

Mr Araz Ahmed Muhammed, a member of the teaching staff in the Department of English at UHD, acted as the panel moderator. He gave a short talk about the importance of the day and the current state of Kurdish before introducing the panellists: Dr Jutyar Zhazhlaiy, Dr Lona Mariwany, and Mr Kamaran Subhan.

The panellists shared their ideas on preserving and promoting the mother language in the digital age, discussing how information technology supports Kurdish and the extent to which Kurdish is recognised by search engines such as Google on the Internet. They also addressed the significance of translating Kurdish texts into English, as very few Kurdish texts have been translated. The panellists spoke about the obstacles faced in translating from Kurdish to English, such as the local nature of Kurdish texts, which may not be interesting to readers of other cultures.

Other hindrances the panellists referred to include the lack of a standard Kurdish language, the inability of Kurdish authors to explore important events in Kurdish history, and the challenge of turning social and political events into novels and dramas that can appeal to readers in other languages. Additionally, they highlighted the government’s failure to support individuals, groups, or institutions working to revive and advance the Kurdish language.

A significant number of students and lecturers attended the panel. The event concluded with comments and questions from the audience.