Erbil's Martyrs' Monument undergoes restoration to preserve Kurdish history

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The restoration of the martyrs' monument in Erbil has been ongoing for over a year, with a significant budget allocation of four million dollars from the Kurdistan Region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani's administration.

The project aims to create a library and museum within the monument to archive and present the Kurdish people's struggle.

On Tuesday, Shukrullah Awdel Babkaei, the supervisor of the martyrs' monument, shared insights into the restoration efforts.

“Part of this monument will be dedicated to presenting and preserving the history of the Kurdish people, while the other part aims to become a tourist attraction. For instance, the library will provide students access to historical documents about the Kurdish people's journey, which have been carefully archived,” he explained.

Babkaei emphasized the importance of inclusivity in the project, stating, “We are collecting evidence about the Kurds from all over the world to archive and make it available to the citizens. The diversity of our people's history is reflected here. For instance, individuals who are not Kurds, such as Christians or Turkmens and others, who were martyred by the Ba'athist regime, have also been commemorated with statues in this monument. This reflects the painful and tragic periods that the Kurdish nation and Kurdistan as a whole have endured.”

The restoration project not only honors the memories of the martyrs but also aims to educate future generations about the rich and diverse history of the Kurdish people, fostering a sense of pride and awareness within the community.

Further reporting was done by Kurdistan24 correspondent Laween Omer.