PM Barzani: Kurdistan is the Homeland of Different Religions and Faiths

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - In a meeting that underscored the Kurdistan Region's established role as a bastion of interfaith harmony, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday welcomed a high-level delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church, reaffirming a core principle of his government's philosophy and the region's societal fabric. "Kurdistan is the homeland of different religions and faiths," the Prime Minister stated, emphasizing a continuous commitment to nurturing this unique environment.

The sentiment was met with warm appreciation from the visiting delegation, who praised the region as a place where it is a "matter of fortune that in Kurdistan all religions and components live in peace and tranquility and their rights are protected." This exchange, occurring in the heart of Erbil, serves as the latest international acknowledgment of a deeply rooted culture of coexistence that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has actively cultivated through decades of dedicated policy and action.

The meeting on Tuesday, brought together Prime Minister Barzani and a delegation headed by the Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Anthony (Anton Yurievich Sevryuk), the Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations.

The discussions, which were also attended by Maxim Rubin, the Consul General of Russia in the Kurdistan Region, centered on the development and promotion of the culture of peaceful coexistence and harmony among the region's diverse religious and ethnic components.

Prime Minister Barzani reiterated to his guests that this is not a passive characteristic but an active pursuit. "We always work to deepen and strengthen the culture of coexistence and the principles of peace and brotherhood among the various components," he affirmed.

The visiting clergy, expressing their happiness with their visit to the Kurdistan Region, provided a powerful external validation of these efforts, highlighting the peace and security enjoyed by all communities and the protection of their rights as a noteworthy achievement.

This high-level diplomatic and religious engagement is not an isolated event but rather a reflection of a consistent and visible government strategy. Just days prior, Prime Minister Barzani delivered a landmark address at a historic conference in Erbil commemorating the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

Standing before a distinguished global audience of patriarchs, clergy, and academics, including His Holiness Patriarch Mar Awa III and His Holiness Patriarch Louis Sako, the Prime Minister proudly declared that peaceful coexistence is one of the "bright features and characteristics of Kurdistan's society."

He used the significant platform, held in what he termed "Erbil, the capital of coexistence," to reaffirm his government's unwavering commitment to protecting and nurturing the rich tapestry of faiths and ethnicities that call the region home, promising that the Kurdistan Region will remain a "shining home" of coexistence.

In that keynote speech, he detailed the tangible efforts and policies that transform this vision into a lived reality for the region's citizens. "We in the Kurdistan Regional Government are committed and have full faith in protecting and defending religious, national, and cultural diversity," he stated unequivocally.

He emphasized that this culture requires constant reinforcement, calling upon religious leaders and teachers of all faiths to play their "important and effective role" in deepening the values of love, harmony, and social peace.

He assured them that in this critical mission, "the Kurdistan Regional Government will continue to establish the principles of peaceful coexistence, religious freedom, harmony, and friendship among the components of Kurdistan."

One of the most concrete examples of this commitment is the KRG's robust support for mother-tongue education, particularly for the region's ancient Christian communities. The Prime Minister specifically highlighted the government's continuous support for the Syriac language—the ancient tongue of the Chaldeans, Assyrians, and Arameans, and the language of Jesus Christ.

This support is institutionalized through a network of 50 dedicated Syriac-language schools operating with the full backing of the government. In these schools, a profound success story is unfolding daily. Thousands of students, from primary to secondary stages, are not only mastering their curriculum but are also connecting with their heritage in a deeply meaningful way.

The impact of this policy is best articulated by the students themselves. For ninth grader Sherpil Shimul, learning in his ancestral language is transformative. "This is my mother tongue," he confirmed in a recent report. "When I study in Syriac, I understand and learn much better."

Another student, Oriana Roni, echoed this sentiment, capturing the pride and enjoyment fostered in these unique classrooms. "The Syriac language is our mother tongue and it is more enjoyable for us," she said. "Our teachers are also very good with us and teach us our lessons."

This initiative is far from a mere symbolic gesture. Fahmi Sliwa, the Director of Education for the outskirts of Erbil, confirmed the comprehensive nature of the government's support, stating that there are no shortcomings in the crucial areas of textbooks, building infrastructure, or qualified teachers, adding that the sector receives special attention. This policy is built on a solid legal foundation, with the Kurdistan Parliament having first enshrined the right to mother-tongue education into law in 1993, a principle the KRG has upheld since its first cabinet.

The foundation of this entire policy framework, as the Prime Minister has repeatedly articulated, is the core belief that "Kurdistan is the homeland of all of us." He has often drawn a poignant parallel between the shared struggles of the past and the collective mission of the present. "Just as the components of Kurdistan have together faced oppression, tyranny, and occupation, today we are also together for the sake of building, reconstructing, developing, and advancing our homeland."

The warm reception of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation this week, and their praise for the region's harmony, stands as a testament to the success of this shared project, a project that continues to be built in the halls of government, in the classrooms of Syriac schools, and in the sanctuaries of its diverse houses of worship.