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# Avesta Cultural Foundation Names Renowned Historian Celîlê Celîl as First Recipient of Annual Honor Award
- URL: https://www.botantimes.com/avesta-cultural-foundation-names-renowned-historian-celile-celil-as-first-recipient-of-annual-honor-award/
- Published: 2026-10-05T09:51:16.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-05T09:51:16.000Z
- Author: Botan Times
- Tags: English

**DIYARBAKIR** — The Avesta Cultural Foundation has announced that its inaugural Honor Award will be presented to the distinguished historian and scholar Prof. Dr. Celîlê Celîl. The award will be conferred during a ceremony and panel discussion scheduled for Nov. 26 in Diyarbakir, marking both the establishment of the award and Dr. Celîl’s 90th birthday.

Established in 2026, the Avesta Cultural Foundation instituted the annual honor to recognize lifetime contributions to Kurdish history, language, and culture. Each cycle is dedicated to a prominent historical figure; the inaugural 2026 award honors the 16th-century Kurdish historian Sharafkhān Bidlīsī.

Dr. Celîl is widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures in Kurdish studies since the second half of the 20th century. After completing his higher education at Yerevan State University and Leningrad State University, he earned his doctorate in 1963 with a dissertation examining 19th-century Kurdish uprisings. He subsequently served as a researcher and academic at the Soviet Academy of Sciences from 1963 to 1993.

Alongside his late brother, Ordîxanê Celîl, Dr. Celîl carried out extensive field research and archival work to document and preserve Kurdish history, oral traditions, and folklore. In 1994, he co-founded the Institute of Kurdish Studies (Kurdologie) in Vienna, where he continues his scholarly work.

In its citation, the foundation’s board of directors described Dr. Celîl’s career as both an outstanding academic achievement and a enduring symbol of Kurdish cultural identity.

"Dr. Celîl has safeguarded the treasures of Kurdish culture against the erosion of time, enriching our heritage and transmitting it to future generations," the foundation stated. "This award represents our deepest gratitude for his lifelong dedication to Kurdish scholarship and cultural preservation."