Mrs. Rezan Kader, as part of the mission in the Veneto region first, and then in Trentino Alto Adige, met today the Mayor of Bolzano, Luigi Spagnolli.
Mrs. Kader has presented the official position of the Kurdistan Regional Government and the situation of the region in the light of recent events in Iraq.
The High Representative has informed Mayor Spagnolli that the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region, had already alarmed the central government in Baghdad of the danger posed by the ISIS rebels, who were preparing to launch a major offensive in western Iraq.
The government of al-Maliki has failed to adequately represent all parts of Iraq and never took seriously the threat from the ISIS rebels. In this context, the peshmerga forces have been made available to the defense of the Kurdistan Region, including those areas of contention that the Kurdish people is protected and guaranteed freedom and democracy.
In this frame, said Mrs. Kader, the support of the international community is crucial, especially to deal with the humanitarian emergency in progress.
The Mayor Spagnolli, expressed to Mrs. Kader strong concern over the situation in Iraq, particularly the plight of Christians who fled from the rest of Iraq.
The High Representative stressed that this new terrorist group represented by the Islamic State can count on about 15,000 "soldiers" from 80 different countries and is organized as a real state that can pose a threat to the entire international community not only for the middle East area.
The Kurdish community in Bolzano, said the Mayor, who is well integrated with the territory, enjoys respect and at the same time there were not any episode of intolerance. In this context, Dr. Spagnolli has undertaken to ensure that the community itself is preserved and protected.

On 28 September, in Bolzano, the High Representative met with the Kurdish community, which is considered the largest community in Italy.
Mrs. Kader really wanted to meet the Kurds who for years have lived in Bolzano in order to update them on the situation in Iraq, particularly in the Kurdistan Region. Specifically, the High Representative said that the Kurdistan Regional Government is active in containing the advance of the Islamic State, and as far as trying to address the plight of refugees in the Region. The government has opened schools, hospitals, built refugee camps to provide the best care to about one million refugees, and the Kurdish people themselves are offering hospitality to his brothers, who are Christians, Muslims, Yazidis and Arabs.
Mrs. Kader, to inform the community of meetings scheduled with the city government.

The High Representative has also listened to the spokesman of the community in respect of any existing problems and ways of resolving them, ensuring that the Representation is available to support and sustain the Kurdish community in this difficult historical moment..