Carnival Fills Duhok's Streets as the City Marks 57th Anniversary of Provincial Status

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Duhok threw open its streets to celebration on Wednesday, marking 57 years since the city was elevated from a district to a full province in one of the Kurdistan Region's most significant administrative milestones.

The city, long known as the "City of Coexistence," hosted a wide-ranging carnival in its city center, drawing local and international guests and anchoring the anniversary with a program of artistic performances, sporting tributes, and institutional showcases.

Hassan Fatah, a member of the carnival's supervisory committee, told Kurdistan24 that festivities were set to begin at 6:00 p.m. at Newroz Park, located in the heart of Duhok's main bazaar.

The evening's program was designed to reflect the breadth of the province's identity. Guests were invited to visit specially prepared pavilions showcasing the city's institutions and administrative bodies, while folk artists and traditional singers took the stage to highlight the cultural richness of the region.

This year's carnival carried a distinctly sporting theme, anchored by Duhok's recent triumph in the Gulf Cup. Duhok SC and the city's women's football team were both set to receive special recognition during the festivities, a tribute to achievements that have brought the province national and regional attention.

Duhok's elevation to provincial status came on May 27, 1969, under Law No. 50, which formally separated the city from Nineveh province and designated it Iraq's 15th province.

In the more than five decades since, Duhok has grown into a city of over 1.6 million people, establishing itself as a significant cultural, economic, and national hub within both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq at large.

Its strategic position, bordering Türkiye and Syria in the northwest of the Kurdistan Region, has also made it a key commercial gateway, one whose influence on the regional economy continues to grow.