Duhok celebrates 53rd anniversary of becoming a governorate

Duhok is celebrating the 53rd anniversary of becoming a governorate with a carnival featuring three marathons and various other activities.

At least 1,300 people participated in the marathons that led to Newroz Park in the center of Duhok city. Winners received awards from officials in the governorate.

Newroz Park was crowded with the city’s residents and visiting tourists.

It is the 8th carnival Duhok has held since it became a governorate in 1969. The first carnival, in 2013, was held under the slogan “all colors unify in the carnival.” The slogan for this year is “a carnival for the service of the people.”

Carnival celebrations for 2019-20 were canceled due to the economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The carnival includes various sections and activities. However, it was decided to cancel a music concert and modeling show in solidarity with the families of two children killed in a rocket attack in Duhok’s Bamarni subdistrict on May 26, the spokesperson of the directorate general of culture and arts Hassan Fatah told Kurdistan 24.

In a speech he delivered at the carnival, the director-general of culture and arts, Ameer Ali, stated that the event intends “to show the mosaic of Kurdistan and especially Duhok’s culture with a focus on humanitarianism.”

“People of Duhok are well-known for their generosity and coexistence. They have proven this by sheltering so many refugees and IDPs (internally displaced persons),” he said.

Duhok Governor Ali Tatar congratulated the people of Duhok on both the 53rd anniversary of becoming a governorate and the 31st anniversary of its liberation from the former Saddam Hussein regime in 1991. The people of Duhok are recognized as peaceful, humanitarian, patriotic, and law-abiding, he said.

Residents from various ethnic and religious backgrounds gathered for the event in Newroz Park wearing their traditional clothes and showcasing the rich culture and coexistence of the governorate.

Duhok resident Kawa Aziz expressed his love for his hometown at the carnival, telling Kurdistan 24 that it is usually called “colorful Duhok, because it’s colorful with its nature, its components, religions, and minorities.”

“It is 53 years since Duhok became a governorate, but the history of this region and its people dates back thousands of years,” he said. “You can see that in the culture.”