My fellow citizens,

On the occasion of Nawroz and the Kurdish New Year, I extend my warmest wishes to the families of our fallen heroes and the victims of the Anfal genocide. I congratulate the Kurdish people and all my fellow citizens in Kurdistan and abroad, the Kurdistan’s of the diaspora, and our brave Peshmerga and the security forces. I also extend my best wishes to all the nations who celebrate Nawroz around the world. May Nawroz bring peace, happiness and prosperity to everyone.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude and warmest wishes to all the medical teams and relevant authorities that have been in the forefront of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to save lives and protect citizens for the second consecutive year.

We pay tribute to their colleagues who sacrificed their lives to save the lives of other people, and we honor the memories of all the people who lost their lives to the pandemic. I share the grief of their families and wish all the people battling the Covid-19 virus a speedy recovery. I thank the law enforcement authorities, police officers, security forces and the Peshmerga who have supported the efforts to contain the outbreak.

My fellow citizens,

Nawroz is a national celebration and a symbol of success, revival and freedom of the Kurdish people. It is a new year and a new beginning; it gives hope and empowers us. On this occasion, let’s learn lessons from our past mistakes, be kind and tolerant. Let’s look to a brighter future with optimism. Let’s build our strengths and  work together to overcome the challenges.

We need to stand united in order to achieve better livelihood for our fellow citizens and to secure the constitutional rights of the people of Kurdistan. We need to put an end to harmful rivalries and disagreements among political parties in the country. All of us, political parties and communities, needs to be tolerant as we work together for a better Kurdistan and to preserve its freedom and democratic principles.

Therefore, I will invite all parties to a joint meeting at the Kurdistan Region Presidency after Nawroz celebrations.

My fellow citizens,

We reiterate that the Kurdistan Region will cooperate and support any lasting settlement of the disputes with the Federal Government and the resolution of all the disagreements in Iraq, in order to maintain stability and peace in the country.

It must be recognized that the key to peace, stability and progress in Iraq is the resolution of the disagreements between the Kurdistan Region and the Federal Government.

We welcome any settlement that is not unilateral, and which safeguards the lawful rights of the people and components of Iraq, and preserves the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region, the federal system and the principles of partnership, consensus and balance. We urge the international community, the United Nations and the Security Council to support the resolution of Iraq’s problems.

On this occasion, once again we reiterate that the Kurdistan Region will remain a factor for peace, stability, coexistence, and tolerance. The Kurdistan Region will continue to cooperate, coordinate and work together with the international coalition and community. On the basis of mutual interests and values, the Kurdistan region will strengthen ties, cooperation and partnership with the regional neighbors and international communities. We will continue to confront terrorism and extremism.

I urge my fellow citizens to follow and respect all the necessary measures in order to protect themselves and others from the Covid-19 pandemic during the Nawroz holiday. As the Nawroz celebrations begin, I also urge my fellow citizens to drive safely and preserve the environment while camping outdoors.

May God bless Kurdistan, the people of Kurdistan and everyone around the world. Happy Nawroz to everyone. I hope all future celebrations are held in better conditions.

Nechirvan Barzani
The President of the Kurdistan Region