ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Shilan Shamal, a Kurdish woman who resides in France made history when she became the first-ever Kurdish woman to take part in the Olympic torch relay, days before the official start of the games in Paris.
Shamal, 33, was born in Diyala province and has lived in France with her family since 2005. She made history on Monday as the first Iraqi Kurdish woman to carry the Olympic torch. She was among the final group of torchbearers before the flame reaches the Olympic stadium in Paris.
“The officials of my [city’s] municipality chose me … to represent my city [Fleury],” Shamal told Rudaw’s Zinar Shino.
Shamal said graduated from industrial design engineering, and in addition to her work, she is also the president of the Taekwondo club in her town of Fleury in southern France.
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid welcomed Shamal at the Iraqi embassy in Paris on Thursday.
“His Excellency emphasized that the presence of an Iraqi girl among the Olympic torchbearers worldwide reflects the status of Iraqi women and their distinguished qualifications, creative abilities, and abundant contributions,” read a statement from Rashid’s office.
The Olympic torch relay is a months-long ceremony in which athletes relay the Olympic flame from Olympia, Greece to the host city of the Olympic Games, signaling the start of the games.
This year, the Olympic torch was lit in Olympia on April 16. It traveled through Greece to Athens, crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Marseille in southern France, and then journeyed across France, reaching the Olympic stadium in Paris on Friday where the official opening ceremony will be held.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani is set to attend the opening ceremony, following a formal invitation from the French President Emmanuel Macron.
A total of 22 athletes will represent Iraq in the Paris Olympics, with the men’s football team accounting for 18 of them. Iraq will also compete in judo, swimming, weightlifting, and athletics, with one athlete representing the country in each sport.
Two Kurdish athletes are participating in the Olympics as part of the Iraqi national football team.
