Shafaq News – Kirkuk

Educational institutions across Iraq’s multi-ethnic Kirkuk province marked Kurdistan Flag Day on Wednesday with ceremonies highlighting Kurdish cultural identity, local officials said.

Observed annually on December 17, Kurdistan Flag Day commemorates the first raising of the Kurdish flag in Mahabad during the mid-20th century, linked to the short-lived Republic of Kurdistan. Teachers and students took part in cultural and symbolic activities organized to mark the occasion.

Kamran Ali, director of the Kurdish Studies department at Kirkuk’s Education Directorate, said the events were designed to emphasize the role of national symbols in strengthening students’ sense of belonging.

“Schools play an important role in fostering peaceful coexistence among Kirkuk’s diverse communities,” he said, adding that the Kurdish flag reflects shared history and unity and is not confined to any single group.

Kamal Sharif, a representative of Kurdistan’s teachers, described the day as an opportunity to recall the sacrifices made by the Kurdish people across different periods of their history. “The flag embodies resilience, identity, and the pursuit of recognized rights," he told Shafaq News.

Celebrations took place despite Kirkuk’s unresolved status since 2003, with disputes over governance, identity, and control continuing despite repeated political agreements. Today, the city is administered by the federal government, while Kurdish parties maintain a strong social and cultural presence.

Similar events were held across the Kurdistan Region, including in Erbil and Al-Sulaymaniyah, where institutions raised the flag and observed moments of silence in memory of those who died defending Kurdish rights and identity.

Read more: Unity and sacrifice: Kurdistan Region observes Flag Day