With the presence of President Barzani, the National Prayer Day began in Kurdistan

Today, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, attended by President Barzani, Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and a large number of senior officials and leaders from Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and the world, parliamentarians from various countries, and government representatives from America, Europe, and the Middle East, the Kurdistan National Prayer Day began in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, under the slogan "Towards Unity in Faith".

In his speech at the ceremony, President Barzani, while welcoming the guests to "Kurdistan, the cradle of ethnic and religious coexistence," stated that the aim of holding the National Prayer Day ceremony for the first time in Kurdistan is for the world to become familiar "with that rich culture that has existed in Kurdistan since ancient times, which is the culture of coexistence, mutual acceptance, and freedom of thought, religion, and belief." He added, "This is the culture we take pride in, and we also affirm our commitment to continuing on this path."

In his speech, President Barzani once again expressed his condolences over the passing of Pope Francis, the Pope of the Vatican, referring to him as “a great man of peace and a friend of humanity.

The Full Transcript of President Barzani's Speech: 

In the Name of Almighty and Merciful God

First, I warmly welcome you all, dear guests. Welcome to Kurdistan, the land of ethnic and religious coexistence.
 

Before I begin my speech, I would like to once again express my condolences in unity with all humanity around the world for the loss of a great humanitarian and peace-loving man—His Holiness the Pope.

This is the first time such a gathering is being held in Kurdistan, with the aim of introducing the world to the region’s rich culture, which has existed since ancient times. It is a culture of coexistence, mutual acceptance, and freedom of belief, religion, and faith. This is a culture we are proud of and committed to preserving and continuing along this path.
 

I hope this gathering will help deepen and broaden the spirit of fraternity and coexistence in Kurdistan.

Worship is a shared point that unites different religions. Truth is not divided—there are many paths to reach it. All sacred religions that acknowledge the oneness of God seek the same truth, and everyone must be respected. The essence of religion is ethics. Rumi says: “Truth is like a mountain spring; there are many ways to reach it, but the goal is the same”—that is, to reach the truth.
 

From the beginning of the Barzani spiritual leadership under the guidance of Sheikh Abdul Salam Barzani and Sheikh Ahmed Barzani, respect for different religions and mutual acceptance were a central part of our belief system. This is based on the words of Almighty God in the Holy Quran:

(O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you.)

This is a sacred Quranic verse and a clear directive for us to remain committed to the belief in unity and mutual acceptance.
 

Throughout history, when Kurdistan was attacked, the aggressors made no distinction between Muslims, Christians, and Yezidis. They burned down villages, displaced people, and committed massacres and atrocities against all. In the recent war with ISIS, they made no distinction either; all suffered great loss. In response, our heroic Peshmerga bravely defended everyone without discrimination and crushed the terror of ISIS—but at a very high cost: nearly 12,000 martyrs and wounded.
 

Let this be a beginning so that such gatherings continue—so that we all understand that before everything else, we are all servants of God and brothers and sisters in humanity.

Through acceptance, love, and joy, we can all live together. But with force, neither the oppressor will find peace, nor the oppressed. All prophets have advised and preached extending the hand of brotherhood to one another. Their message has always been unity and coexistence.
 

Finally, I pray to Almighty God to grant guidance to all sides. May peace prevail in the region and the whole world. May brotherhood be established. I hope you all enjoy your time in Kurdistan. We are proud to have you here.

Once again, I warmly welcome you all. I also express my sincere thanks to everyone who organized this event.  God bless you, and peace be upon