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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Aram Kamaran was pleasantly surprised to find out he had been awarded a prestigious scholarship from France’s foreign minister, announced at a press conference held with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Friday.
"This year, a student whose father was killed in the battle against Daesh (Islamic State) has been able to receive a French scholarship," Jean-Yves Le Drian announced during the press conference, held in Erbil. "He will continue his studies in France in a course provided by the French government."
Kamaran, 19, lost his father in the battle against the Islamic State (ISIS) four years ago.
"My father was martyred on the first day of the battle for Mosul," he said.
An Erbil native, Kamaran studied at the Danielle Mitterrand French School in the city before obtaining his baccalaureate in early June.
"I finished high school and obtained my baccalaureate in June. By the end of June, I went to the French consulate general and asked for a scholarship to pursue my higher education in France given that I had already studied in a French school in Erbil, and thought would be easier for me to obtain it," he told Rudaw English by phone on Saturday.
"My teachers complimented me all the time saying I had a great chance to get accepted, and commended my performance and application. I was supposed to receive the response by August, but yesterday the foreign minister announced it."
Kamaran says the scholarship was organized by the French government's Regional Center of University and School Works (CROUS).
He met with le Drian following the press conference.
"We went to the airport and he congratulated me and gave me two books as a gift for the scholarship I received. The books were in French and from Philosopher Albert Camus," he added.
He said he will study philosophy at Paul Valery University in the southern city of Montpellier.
"My message to other students studying in the French centers in the Kurdistan Region is this: the chance you have is great. Do not miss out, work hard and you will be able to fulfil your dreams," he said.
During the press conference the French FM vowed that they will continue to enhance their educational ties with the Kurdistan Region.
He described Kamaran as the first student "but definitely not the last" to have been granted a scholarship under the scheme by the French government.
France and the Kurdistan Region have long ties which date back to late French President Francois Mitterrand encouraging the UN Security Council to establish the no-fly zone to protect Kurdish areas against the former Baath regime in the 1990s.
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