Mayor Grégoire Junod of Lausanne has declared the city’s preference for memorial events marking the centenary of the Treaty of Lausanne over a celebration proposed by the Turkish government, citing the treaty’s negative impact on Kurds, Armenians and Greeks.
This decision was communicated during a thank-you visit by the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) delegation to the Lausanne Municipality for hosting a conference on the 100th anniversary of the treaty that partitioned Kurdish populated lands into four parts. The conference, attended by over 600 delegates, was held at the Beaulieu Congress Centre in Lausanne on 22-23 July 2023.
“Instead of a joint celebration with the Turkish government, we chose to organise memorial events [of the Kurdish community]. The treaty caused great tragedy for Kurds, Armenians and Greeks. It was essential that these commemorations took place, allowing those harmed by the treaty to see themselves in these events. We have had a long-standing relationship with the Kurds, who are an active community in Lausanne, and we decided to follow what we believed was the right path despite opposition,” Junod said, stressing the importance of remembering all communities affected by the Treaty of Lausanne.
“You brought Kurds together with your conference. The unity of the four parts of Kurdistan here moved and pleased us,” the mayor said, highlighting pressure from Turkish representatives who advised against collaborating with the Kurds and labelled them as terrorists.
Junod refuted the claim of terrorism. “We never witnessed anything of the sort. Instead, you demonstrated a model of democratic work.”
“With your organisations, actions and conference, you set an exemplary standard of work. We are open to continuing our collaboration with you [KNK] in the future,” he added.
During the centenary of the Treaty of Lausanne, Lausanne became the backdrop for several events that explored not only the detrimental impact of the treaty on various communities, but also how these communities, with Kurds at the forefront, have resisted such impacts.
Among the events was the ‘New World Embassy: Kurdistan,’ a pioneering theatre project co-created by artist Jonas Staal and KNK member Nilüfer Koç. Aimed at exploring the concept of stateless democracy and solidarity, the event brought together Kurdish and international politicians, experts and artists, and highlighted the historical division of Kurdish territory into the modern-day borders of Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq, underscoring the Kurdish struggle for recognition and autonomy.
Parallel to this, workshops delved into alternative governance models, exploring the themes of autonomy, direct democracy and women’s liberation. The event also featured discussions on what has come to be known as the ‘Rojava revolution’ in Kurdish-led North and East Syria, fostering a global dialogue on democracy beyond the nation-state.
