Shafaq News – Erbil

On Wednesday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani extended Christmas greetings to Christian citizens in the Region and across Iraq, as well as to Christians worldwide, wishing them a holiday marked by peace and security.

In a statement on X, Barzani said Christians are an integral and inseparable part of Kurdistan’s history, present, and future, stressing that Christmas represents an opportunity to reaffirm the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to protecting its long-standing tradition of coexistence, tolerance, and acceptance of others.

“The Kurdistan Region will continue to serve as a safe and inclusive home for all its communities,” the president added, emphasizing that the people of the Region share a common destiny, have endured hardships together, and will continue working in unity toward a more prosperous future for coming generations.

The Kurdistan Region is home to around 150,000 Christians, making it one of the last strongholds of Iraq’s ancient Christian presence. Nearly 99% of them live in Erbil and Duhok, where churches and community schools have expanded with government support. By contrast, Iraq’s Christian population nationwide has declined from about 1.5 million before 2003 to less than 250,000 today.

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