KRG Representative Highlights Historic Ties Between Kurdistan Region and Vatican
“It was a great source of happiness and pride to see the Kurdistan flag inside the Vatican, carried by Christians,” she said.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Rezan Hama Salih, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) representative in Italy, has highlighted the historic relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the Vatican, citing President Masoud Barzani’s early official engagement with the Holy See and his continued support for Christian communities.
Salih said President Barzani’s official visit in 2005–2006 helped establish closer ties between the Kurdistan Region and the Vatican. She added that President Barzani’s support for Christians had earned him special appreciation from the Holy See, including meetings with previous popes and Pope Francis, as well as a special Vatican award.
Speaking about her latest visit to the Vatican, Salih said she had attended events related to the election of the patriarch for Iraq. She described seeing the Kurdistan flag carried by Christians inside the Vatican as a moment of pride.
“It was a great source of happiness and pride to see the Kurdistan flag inside the Vatican, carried by Christians. This demonstrates that the Kurdistan Region is a peaceful haven for our Christian brothers and that they are proud to be both Kurdish and Christian,” she said.
Salih also said discussions during the visit covered the withdrawal of forces, Iraq’s security situation, and wider regional developments.
The Kurdistan Region has long been home to Christian communities, including Chaldeans, Syriacs and Assyrians, alongside other religious groups. Christians have maintained a presence in the region for centuries, with churches, monasteries and religious sites forming part of its cultural heritage.
The Kurdistan Region has also hosted Christians displaced by conflict and persecution elsewhere in Iraq, particularly during the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014. The group’s attacks and seizure of territories across northern Iraq forced many Christian families to flee their homes, with some finding refuge in the Kurdistan Region.
Relations with the Vatican are significant because of the Holy See’s role in representing the Catholic Church internationally and advocating for religious freedom and the protection of Christian communities in the Middle East.
The Kurdistan Region’s engagement with the Vatican forms part of its broader international outreach, which includes promoting coexistence among religious and ethnic communities and maintaining relations with international religious institutions.
Salih’s remarks underscored the importance of Christian participation in the Kurdistan Region’s society and the role of religious coexistence in shaping its international image.