The Centre for Mediterranean, Middle East and Islamic Studies (CEMMIS) of the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the University of the Peloponnese organised a conference on: “The Kurdish Issue and the Developments in the Middle East” The conference took place in Greek and English on Saturday May 24, 2025, 9.30-8.15 p.m. at the Institute of International Relations (Hill 3-5, Plaka, Athens).
Το Κέντρο Μεσογειακών, Μεσανατολικών και Ισλαμικών Σπουδών (ΚΕΜΜΙΣ) του Τμήματος Πολιτικής Επιστήμης και Διεθνών Σχέσεων του Πανεπιστημίου Πελοποννήσου οργάνωσε την εκδήλωση με θέμα: «Το Κουρδικό Ζήτημα και οι Εξελίξεις στη Μέση Ανατολή» Η εκδήλωση πραγματοποιήθηκε στα ελληνικά και τα αγγλικά (παράλληλη διερμηνεία) το Σάββατο 24 Μαΐου 2025, 9.30-8.15 μ.μ. στην αίθουσα εκδηλώσεων του Ινστιτούτου Διεθνών Σχέσεων (Χίλλ 3-5, Πλάκα, Αθήνα).
CONFERENCE AGENDA
OPENING STATEMENT
Gharib Hassou, Co-President of PYD
FIRST SESSION: The current situation in Syrian Kurdistan and the developments in Syria Zakia Aqra, CEMMIS Editor-in-Chief (moderator)
- Katia Zagoritou, PhD Candidate University of the Peloponnese, CEMMIS Researcher
- Antonis Deriziotis, Assistant Professor National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
- Sotiris Roussos, Professor University of the Peloponnese, CEMMIS Scientific Supervisor
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Nikos Kotzias, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece
SECOND SESSION: The democratic self-government of Rojava, the influence of Abdullah Ocalan and its regional impact Ioannis Albanis, Journalist (moderator)
- Thomas Schmidinger, Associate Professor University of Kurdistan Hewlêr
- Stavros Lygeros, Journalist
- Petros Papakonstantinou, Journalist
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Ilham Ahmed, Co-chair of the Foreign Relations Department in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES)
THIRD SESSION: Regional powers and the Kurdish issue Sotiris Roussos, Professor University of the Peloponnese, CEMMIS Scientific Supervisor (moderator)
- Amy Austin Holmes, Professor George Washington University
- Kamal Chomani, PhD Candidate, Leipzig University, Germany
- Stavros Drakoularakos, Adjunct Lecturer University of Nicosia, CEMMIS Editor-in-Chief
- Constantinos Filis, Director of the ACG Institute of Global Affairs, Associate Professor American College of Greece
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Sema Bakdash, Head of the Diplomatic Bureau of PYD
