At its annual reception in Cologne, the Network of Kurdish Academics (KURD-AKAD) awarded doctor and former HDP MP Dr. Idris Baluken, Norwegian academic Prof. Kariane Westrheim and psychologist Prof. Dr. Dr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan for special scientific contributions and outstanding civil society commitment. The reception in the Museum am Neumarkt on Saturday was attended by the exiled former HDP MPs Lezgin Botan, Nursel Aydoğan and Sibel Yiğitalp, the co-chair of the Kurdish European association KCDK-E, Zübeyde Zümrüt, the NRW state parliament member Berivan Aymaz (Greens) among others. The guests were awarded by Dr. Dersim Dağdeviren, doctor and co-chair of KURD-AKAD.

Idris Baluken was unable to attend the award ceremony. The Kurdish politician and doctor served in two legislative periods as a member of the People's Democratic Party (HDP) in the Turkish parliament. During the negotiations for a solution to the Kurdish question, he was, together with Sirri Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan, a member of the Imrali delegation that held talks with Abdullah Öcalan, the leadership of the Kurdish mountain liberation movement and the Turkish state. Baluken was arrested as part of the mass arrests in autumn 2016 and sentenced to almost 17 years in prison as an alleged member of a terrorist organization. He was released in April this year. His former HDP parliamentary group colleagues accepted his award on his behalf.

Kariane Westrheim, Professor of Education at the University of Bergen and chair of the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC), said that she accepted the award on behalf of all people fighting for freedom and especially the Kurds.

Jan Ilhan Kizilhan was presented with the award by state parliament member Berivan Aymaz. As head of the Institute for Transcultural Health Research, the trauma therapist spoke to over 2,000 Yazidi women and children in Shengal after the ISIS genocide against the Yazidi community in 2014 and was an expert for the Bundestag Committee on Human Rights. Aymaz expertise contributed to the Bundestag recognizing the massacre of the Yazidi community as genocide.

The award ceremony was followed by a performance by musician Mehmet Akbaş.