President Barzani: Sulaimani Remains Central to Kurdistan's History and National Identity
President Masoud Barzani congratulates Sulaimani on its 242nd anniversary, praising the city's role in Kurdish identity, national struggle and enlightenment.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - President Masoud Barzani on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, congratulated the people of Sulaimani on the 242nd anniversary of their city's founding, praising its contribution to Kurdish national identity, political struggle and intellectual life and expressing hopes for lasting peace and prosperity.
In a message posted on X, President Barzani described Sulaimani as a historic city whose significance extends beyond its founding to the development of Kurdish culture and political consciousness.
"On the 242nd anniversary of the founding of Sulaimani, I extend my warmest congratulations to the respected and beloved residents of this historic city of Kurdistan," he wrote.
He said Sulaimani had become an important part of Kurdistan's history through its longstanding role in cultural and political life.
"Sulaimani is a city that has become an important part of the history, identity and national struggle of the people of Kurdistan," President Barzani said.
He also emphasized the city's position as a center of learning and debate, saying it had long nurtured national consciousness, intellectual thought, culture and enlightenment, and expressed confidence that it would continue doing so.
"I wish lasting peace, stability and prosperity for this beloved city of Kurdistan," he concluded.
A City With a Political and Cultural Legacy
Sulaimani was founded on Nov. 14, 1784, by Ibrahim Pasha Baban, who named the city after his father, Sulaiman Pasha. It became the capital of the Baban Principality and developed into an important center of administration, trade and literary activity.
The city's political history also includes its role as the capital of the state established by King Mahmud between 1922 and 1924. Its association with Kurdish political movements and generations of writers and intellectuals helps explain the themes of national identity and enlightenment highlighted in President Barzani's anniversary message.
While Saturday marks the date of Sulaimani's establishment, the anniversary has also become an occasion to recall the people and institutions that shaped the city's identity over more than two centuries.
The commemoration takes place amid cultural celebrations intended to bring that history into public view.
Traditional Celebrations at Sara Courtyard
Kurdistan24 correspondent Hawzhin Jamal reported that this year's anniversary program includes Kurdish folk performances, handicrafts, traditional clothing displays and a food festival, with events scheduled throughout Saturday.
The historic Sara courtyard is among the main venues. At noon, the Kurdistan National Folk Arts Ensemble, working with other organizations, was scheduled to present traditional Kurdish dances and exhibitions highlighting local heritage.
Another exhibition at the courtyard features paintings and portraits of prominent figures from Sulaimani province, connecting the day's artistic program with the city's wider cultural history.
Organizers completed preparations ahead of the celebrations, according to Jamal. Security personnel were also deployed to manage traffic and pedestrian movement around the event area and reduce congestion.
The program gives residents an opportunity to mark the anniversary through public gatherings and traditional arts, while remembering Sulaimani's role in the development of Kurdish cultural life.
Remembering the City's Growth
Historical figures published by the Zhin newspaper provide a glimpse of Sulaimani in 1955, when the city covered approximately 20.25 million square meters and had nearly 60,000 residents living in around 7,000 houses.
Its six principal neighborhoods at the time were Kani Askan, Goizha, Malkandi, Sarshaqam, Chwarbakh and Dargazen, illustrating the city's expansion beyond the administrative center established in the eighteenth century.
President Barzani's message placed that long history within a broader account of the city's place in Kurdistan. His congratulations focused not only on the anniversary itself, but on Sulaimani's enduring association with intellectual activity, national consciousness and the hope for a peaceful and prosperous future.