President Masoud Barzani Calls for Global Solidarity at Kurdistan’s First National Prayer Breakfast Day
“The culture of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect is something we are proud of and determined to preserve,” he said.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — In a powerful address at Kurdistan’s inaugural National Prayer Breakfast Day, Kurdish leader President Masoud Barzani urged the world to embrace unity, coexistence, and shared humanity, calling the Kurdistan Region “a land of mutual respect between ethnicities and faiths” and highlighting the Barzani family’s historic commitment to religious tolerance and brotherhood.
Held in Erbil on Wednesday, the National Prayer Breakfast Day marked a significant cultural and political milestone aimed at highlighting Kurdistan’s longstanding commitment to peaceful coexistence among its diverse ethnic and religious communities.
Barzani’s Speech: A Call for Unity, Tolerance, and Shared Humanity
President Barzani began his address by welcoming the distinguished guests to Kurdistan, describing it as “a land of coexistence and mutual respect between ethnicities and faiths.” Before proceeding, he offered condolences to the international community on the loss of a “great humanitarian and peace-loving figure”—a reference to His Holiness the Pope.
Barzani emphasized that this was the first time such a gathering had been organized in Kurdistan, designed to introduce the world to the region’s rich tradition of tolerance, freedom of belief, and interfaith acceptance. These values, he noted, are not recent developments but deeply rooted in Kurdistan’s heritage.
“The culture of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect is something we are proud of and determined to preserve,” he said.
Barzani voiced hope that National Prayer Breakfast Day would deepen and expand the spirit of fraternity and unity across the Kurdistan Region.
Faith, Equality, and the Barzani Legacy
Highlighting the spiritual and ethical dimensions of unity, Barzani noted that true worship brings together diverse faiths rather than dividing them. He cited a Quranic verse—"O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another"—to underline that faith should serve as a foundation for mutual respect.
Reflecting on the legacy of Sheikh Abdul Salam Barzani and Sheikh Ahmed Barzani, he said the respect for religious diversity and acceptance of others was a cornerstone of the Barzani family's leadership from the earliest days.
“Throughout history, when Kurdistan was attacked, no distinction was made between Muslims, Christians, or Yezidis—all suffered together, and the Peshmerga defended them equally, paying a heavy price with nearly 12,000 martyrs and wounded in the fight against ISIS,” he recalled.
A Universal Message of Brotherhood
Barzani called on the international community to recognize the fundamental unity of all human beings:
“Before everything else, we are all servants of God and brothers and sisters in humanity,” he declared. “Only through acceptance, love, and joy can we live together. Force cannot bring peace—neither the oppressor nor the oppressed will ever find rest through coercion.”
He concluded with a prayer for peace and guidance, wishing that fraternity and harmony would flourish not only in Kurdistan but across the region and the world. Barzani also extended warm thanks to all organizers of the event and reiterated Kurdistan’s pride in hosting such a meaningful occasion.
The launch of National Unity Day in Kurdistan comes at a time when the Middle East continues to grapple with sectarian violence, ethnic division, and the aftermath of prolonged conflicts. Kurdistan, home to Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Assyrians, Yezidis, and others, has often stood out as a haven of pluralism in a region marked by religious and ethnic strife.
The Region’s leadership, particularly the Barzani family, has consistently emphasized peaceful coexistence, particularly during and after the war against ISIS, when the Kurdish Peshmerga not only protected Kurds but also rescued and defended religious minorities such as Christians and Yezidis from genocide.
This new annual event appears to be a strategic initiative to solidify Kurdistan’s identity as a regional model for unity, tolerance, and cultural richness—and to project that message globally.
The Full Transcript of President Barzani's Speech:
In the Name of Almighty and Merciful God
First, I warmly welcome you all, dear guests. Welcome to Kurdistan, the land of ethnic and religious coexistence.
Before I begin my speech, I would like to once again express my condolences in unity with all humanity around the world for the loss of a great humanitarian and peace-loving man—His Holiness the Pope.
This is the first time such a gathering is being held in Kurdistan, with the aim of introducing the world to the region’s rich culture, which has existed since ancient times. It is a culture of coexistence, mutual acceptance, and freedom of belief, religion, and faith. This is a culture we are proud of and committed to preserving and continuing along this path.
I hope this gathering will help deepen and broaden the spirit of fraternity and coexistence in Kurdistan.
Worship is a shared point that unites different religions. Truth is not divided—there are many paths to reach it. All sacred religions that acknowledge the oneness of God seek the same truth, and everyone must be respected. The essence of religion is ethics. Rumi says: “Truth is like a mountain spring; there are many ways to reach it, but the goal is the same”—that is, to reach the truth.
From the beginning of the Barzani spiritual leadership under the guidance of Sheikh Abdul Salam Barzani and Sheikh Ahmed Barzani, respect for different religions and mutual acceptance were a central part of our belief system. This is based on the words of Almighty God in the Holy Quran:
(O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you.)
This is a sacred Quranic verse and a clear directive for us to remain committed to the belief in unity and mutual acceptance.
Throughout history, when Kurdistan was attacked, the aggressors made no distinction between Muslims, Christians, and Yezidis. They burned down villages, displaced people, and committed massacres and atrocities against all. In the recent war with ISIS, they made no distinction either; all suffered great loss. In response, our heroic Peshmerga bravely defended everyone without discrimination and crushed the terror of ISIS—but at a very high cost: nearly 12,000 martyrs and wounded.
Let this be a beginning so that such gatherings continue—so that we all understand that before everything else, we are all servants of God and brothers and sisters in humanity.
Through acceptance, love, and joy, we can all live together. But with force, neither the oppressor will find peace, nor the oppressed. All prophets have advised and preached extending the hand of brotherhood to one another. Their message has always been unity and coexistence.
Finally, I pray to Almighty God to grant guidance to all sides. May peace prevail in the region and the whole world. May brotherhood be established. I hope you all enjoy your time in Kurdistan. We are proud to have you here. Once again, I warmly welcome you all. I also express my sincere thanks to everyone who organized this event.
God bless you, and peace be upon you.
