Christian Alliance: Naming a Paris Street after Peshmerga is Global Recognition of Their Sacrifice

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Christian Alliance in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region declared that the inauguration of a street named after the Peshmerga in the heart of Paris represents a historic and global recognition of the sacrifices made by these Kurdish fighters, who defended noble human values and shattered the so-called ISIS caliphate with their blood and their deep faith in the justice of their cause.

In a remarkable event, the French capital hosted the official opening of “Peshmerga Street” in the prestigious André Citroën Park. The ceremony was attended by President Masoud Barzani, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, and a wide range of political and academic figures from France, Kurdistan, and other parts of the world.

The Christian Alliance, in a statement, extended its highest appreciation to the French government and people for what it described as a historic initiative. The alliance stressed that the move underscores the depth of relations between the French and Kurdish peoples and reflects France’s longstanding support for the Kurdish cause during some of its darkest periods.

France’s role, the statement recalled, has been visible throughout history, including its backing of international resolutions during the 1991 Kurdish uprising and the continued engagement of its prominent leaders. This solidarity, the alliance said, has proven France to be a genuine partner of the Kurdish people in their pursuit of peace, freedom, and liberation from dictatorship.

According to the Christian Alliance, the decision to honor the Peshmerga in Paris is more than symbolic. It represents global acknowledgment of their role in defending humanity from ISIS and their commitment to justice.

The statement also evoked a memorable moment from President Masoud Barzani’s leadership during the war against ISIS. In a meeting with Christian communities after the liberation of their towns and villages, President Barzani told them: “Kurdistan is your country and your history is rooted here. You must remain in Kurdistan. We live together—Christians, Muslims, Yezidis, and all components. Either we die together or we live together with dignity and peace.”

The alliance emphasized that President Barzani’s wise leadership has been pivotal in protecting Kurdistan’s democratic institutions and in fostering one of the most unique democratic experiences in the Middle East. His role, it added, has been instrumental in safeguarding all of Kurdistan’s diverse communities—Christians, Muslims, Yezidis, Kakayis, and others—while entrenching the principles of peaceful coexistence and shared life.

The statement further highlighted that during the war against ISIS, President Barzani stood resolutely alongside the Peshmerga, leading a heroic struggle that preserved human dignity and rights not only in Kurdistan but across the world. The Peshmerga’s resistance was a collective one, joined by fighters from all communities, including courageous Christian volunteers who fell as martyrs in the fight against ISIS, sacrificing their lives for their homeland and their people.

The event in Paris, the Christian Alliance underlined, is therefore not merely the naming of a street. It is a timeless message that the leadership of President Barzani, the Peshmerga struggle, and the Kurdish people’s sacrifices stand as enduring symbols of free will, democracy, peace, and coexistence among all components.

The participation of Lara Yousif Zara, mayor of Alqosh, wearing her traditional Chaldean dress, was described as a powerful symbol of Christian partnership in the Kurdish struggle across historical stages. Her presence reflected the Christian community’s deep-rooted role—Chaldeans, Assyrians, Syriacs, and Armenians alike—in Kurdistan’s collective resilience and mirrored Barzani’s principled policy of maintaining coexistence based on consensus, partnership, balance, justice, and fraternity.

Concluding its statement, the Christian Alliance congratulated the people of Kurdistan on this historic day and reaffirmed its full solidarity with their legitimate journey toward a future built on peace, freedom, and justice.

“Glory and eternity to the heroic martyrs of the Peshmerga, to the martyrs of the security forces, of the Coalition forces, and to all those who stood with our people in the war against ISIS terrorism,” the statement read.

It extended “profound gratitude to France for its enduring loyalty, and great appreciation to President Masoud Barzani for his wise leadership and historic path, which all of us take pride in.”