At a Glance

• Governor Abubakr celebrated a proud day as the university of Sulaimani entered the Guinness World Records.
• He stressed that the achievement elevates the standing of the university, the Kurds, and the region.
• The Kurdistan Region must actively contribute to international food, energy, and environmental security, the governor added.

Governor Haval Abubakr hailed a "glorious and proud day" as the University of Sulaimani entered the Guinness World Records for planting the world’s largest tree sentence, calling on Kurds to innovate globally because "our sacrifices alone are no longer enough" to win international support.

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Key Statement and Focus Area

• Haval Abubakr noted that, “On behalf of the Slemani Governorate, we extend congratulations and appreciation on this glorious, proud, and joyful day. Today, once again, the University of Sulaimani, the Kurds, and Kurdistan have succeeded in entering and registering themselves in another international ranking within the Guinness World Records.”
• Abubakr stressed that, “The creation of this university was born directly from the womb of the city.”
• “It is a source of pride that we can reflect our expressions and names through the essence of trees, write them down, and turn them into an achievement,” he added.

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Celebrating the achievement during a formal ceremony, the Slemani Governor extended the local government's gratitude and appreciation to the University of Sulaimani's leadership, its entire staff, and the South Kurdistan Group on behalf of the region's people.

“From its very inception, the University of Sulaimani was built by the city,” he said.

Abubakr emphasized that the institution is recognized as the "Mother University" not merely because it is the first in Greater Kurdistan or ranks third across Iraq behind Baghdad and Mosul. 

Instead, he noted its historical significance stems from its 1968 founding by the late Jalal Talabani and his companions, who successfully established a university in the city and pioneered the official recognition and teaching of the Kurdish language.

Abubakr highlighted that the university serves as a prime example of an institution built directly by the city, its civilization, and the civil society of Slemani.

He remarked that the institution’s current administration has succeeded in opening the institution not only to local society, government entities, decision-makers, and municipalities, but also to the entire world.

Furthermore, he noted that through collaborative efforts across more than 10 sectors, they have successfully promoted the governorate on a global scale while achieving major milestones in education, culture, environment, economy, and security.

The governor underscored that the current era is highly sensitive, asserting that historic Kurdish "sacrifices and self-dedication alone" no longer suffice to guarantee international intervention. He argued that the region must actively integrate into global networks by contributing to international food security, energy supplies, environmental initiatives, and modern agricultural sectors.

Moreover, he affirmed that the Kurdistan Region must pivot toward emerging global trade routes that bypass traditional maritime infrastructure, highlighting that the city of Slemani holds a prime opportunity to develop into a prominent channel linking the local economy to international commerce.

FYI

The University of Sulaimani was established under Act No. 143 of 1968 following immense efforts by Kurdish intellectuals and politicians.

As a pioneering institution, it led the way in the official teaching and academic recognition of the Kurdish language.

In 1981, as a political punishment by the Baath regime against the city's resistance, the entire university was forcibly moved to Erbil and renamed Salahaddin University.

Following the 1991 Kurdish uprising, the university was successfully rebuilt and officially reopened in Slemani through the tremendous efforts of local academics.

The University of Sulaimani has officially secured a Guinness World Record by planting 8,000 Myrtle trees over a 4,000-square-meter area to create the world's largest planted tree phrase. 

Driven voluntarily by professors and students from the College of Science's Chemistry Department, the project utilized culturally resonant Myrtle plants capable of withstanding extreme environmental temperatures. 

This massive installation vastly exceeds the previous global benchmark set by Nissan in the United Arab Emirates, more than tripling the scale of the prior record-holder. 

To mark the ecological milestone, the university is hosting a festive carnival today with faculty and students celebrating across the campus in traditional Kurdish attire.

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