Kurdish leaders highlight coexistence in Kurdistan in Christmas messages
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Senior Kurdish leaders stressed strengthening coexistence among Kurdistan Region’s ethnic and religious components in congratulatory messages on Christmas Eve, reaffirming the region’s commitment to remain a haven for the Christian community.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader and former president of the region, Masoud Barzani, extended his best wishes “to all the Christians of the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the rest of the world.”
“May the times to come bring more health, joy, and prosperity to all of humankind,” he added, stressing the need to “deepen the culture of coexistence among Kurdistan’s [ethnic and religious] components.”
Kurdistan Region president Nechirvan Barzani also expressed his good wishes to the Christian community. “I wish them a peaceful and joyous holiday and hope that this occasion will bring about more peace, tolerance and mutual respect in Iraq, the greater region and the world.”
“Regrettably, as in other countries around the world, large Christmas celebrations in the Kurdistan Region have been deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the president noted. “I hope that future celebrations will be held under better circumstances.”
On Thursday, the Kurdistan Region’s interior ministry imposed a series of new measures, including shuttering all border crossings and halting air travel from nine countries, amid reported cases of a new, more infectious coronavirus strand.
President Barzani reiterated that “the Kurdistan Region, as always, will remain a cradle of tolerance, pluralism and peaceful coexistence for all communities. Together, through unity, consensus and resilience, we have managed to overcome periods of hardship and severe crises in the past.”
“We reassure our Christian citizens that we will continue to exert our best efforts to support the reconstruction and resettlement of their treasured homelands. We shall endeavor to protect their rights and prevent future displacement.”
In his congratulatory message earlier, prime minister Masrour Barzani extended his best wishes to the Christian community and wished them a “happy and peaceful feast during this holiday season.”
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“The Christian community is an important and indigenous part of the Kurdistani society. They, along with other communities, have played an important role in forming the Kurdistani nation.”
“I hope the advent of this feast, along with the new year, brings with it more stability and peace, and marks an end to times of crises and hardships in Kurdistan and all around the world.”