Prime Minister Barzani Meets Chaldean Patriarch in Celebration of Kurdistan's Culture of Pluralism
His Beatitude Mar Paul III Nona lauds the Region as a global model for religious coexistence and recalls the KRG's decisive role in protecting Christians from the threat of ISIS.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Prime Minister Masrour Barzani is scheduled to meet with His Beatitude Mar Paul III Nona, the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and the World, on Tuesday, June 16, marking a high-level engagement focused on reinforcing the Kurdistan Region's longstanding tradition of religious and ethnic coexistence.
The visit arrives shortly after Patriarch Mar Paul Nona issued an expansive and heartfelt tribute to the social fabric of the Kurdistan Region.
In an exclusive statement provided to Kurdistan24 on Sunday, the Patriarch characterized Erbil as a "very ancient and significant city for Christians," noting that its historical weight is matched only by its modern capacity to host diverse communities in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
Reflecting on the challenges of the past decade, the Patriarch emphasized the pivotal role the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has played in the survival of the Christian community in Iraq.
He pointed specifically to the catastrophic events of 2014, when the rise of ISIS terrorists forced tens of thousands of Christians to flee their ancestral homes in the Nineveh Plains.
"The KRG welcomed them with the utmost sincerity and opened all its doors, a reality that commands great respect and appreciation," the Patriarch stated. This humanitarian embrace, he argued, was not merely a temporary measure but a reflection of a deeper institutional commitment to pluralism.
The Chaldean leader further observed that the Region's current stability is the result of a deliberate and forward-looking strategy led by the KRG's Ninth Cabinet.
He credited Prime Minister Masrour Barzani with working "diligently to secure the rights of all components," an approach that has allowed the Kurdistan Region to maintain an influential role in balancing the needs of its varied ethnic and religious groups while fostering a genuine sense of equality.
According to the Patriarch, the Kurdistan Region's governance model serves as a rare example of a functional, multi-faith society in a volatile part of the world.
He expressed his hope that this "successful model of pluralism" could eventually be exported globally to serve as a blueprint for other nations struggling with social fragmentation.
As the Prime Minister prepares for the discussions today, the meeting is expected to further solidify the partnership between the regional government and the Chaldean Church.
For the people of Kurdistan, the high-level dialogue serves as a reaffirmation that the protection of minority rights remains a cornerstone of the Region's strategic and moral identity.
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Summary Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona on Tuesday to strengthen ties and celebrate Kurdistan's model of coexistence. The Patriarch praised the KRG for its protection of Christians since 2014 and lauded Prime Minister Barzani's dedication to the rights of all groups. |
The report was updated on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 03:54pm.