Barzani Marks Yazidi Midsummer: Kurdistan Remains 'a Homeland of Coexistence'
At a Glance
- The Kurdistan Region President greeted Yazidi's summer feast.
- The Yazidi Midsummer Feast marks the end of a strict 40-day fast.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Sunday extended congratulations to the Yazidi community on the Feast of the Forty Days of Summer, reaffirming the Region's commitment to ethnic and religious coexistence.
Key Statements and Focus Area
- Barzani expressed hope that the celebration brings prosperity to all.
- He pledged that Kurdistan will remain free from discrimination.
"On this blessed occasion of the Midsummer holidays, I offer my sincere congratulations to His Excellency Baba Sheikh, the Mir of the Yazidis, the Yazidi Spiritual Council, and to all Yezidis across the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the world," Barzani said in a statement on Sunday.
"May these days bring happiness, unity, and prosperity to all," he noted.
Barzani emphasized that Kurdistan will endure as "a homeland of coexistence" for all its citizens, free from any form of discrimination.
He further renewed his commitment to Yazidis and all ethnic and religious communities, pledging to protect and uphold the region's rich cultural diversity.
FYI
The Feast of the Forty Days of Summer (Cejna Çilê Havînê) is a highly sacred Yazidi holiday celebrated every August 2 to mark the completion of a rigorous 40-day dawn-to-sunset fast.
Yazidi spiritual leader Baba Sheikh Ali Sheikh Elyas extended his congratulations yesterday to the global Yazidi community on the Feast of the Forty Days of Summer.
He offered special blessings to the clergy and devout followers who completed the rigorous forty-day fast, praying the holiday brings health and security while urging the community to preserve their ancient traditions.
On this day, worshippers from this ancient ethno-religious minority gather at the holy Lalish Temple in the Kurdistan Region to pray, perform sacred dances, and light 365 oil lamps representing each day of the year.
To protect this rich heritage, which includes a sister holiday in the winter to honor solar cycles, the Kurdistan Regional Government officially recognizes these holy days and grants Yazidi public sector employees paid leave to celebrate.
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