Shafaq News – Al-Sulaymaniyah

On Saturday, the Zoroastrian community marked Yalda Night (Shawi Chilla), one of the oldest seasonal celebrations tied to the solar cycle and the onset of winter.

The event, held in Al-Sulaymaniyah, attracted religious and cultural figures as well as representatives from local institutions. Attendees gathered for family activities, storytelling, and the sharing of seasonal foods such as pomegranates, watermelon, and nuts—long-standing symbols of life, fertility, and continuity.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Awat Hussam Al-Din, the Zoroastrian representative at the Kurdish Ministry of Endowments, described Yalda Night as a cultural and spiritual milestone for both Zoroastrians and Kurds.

“The celebration marks hope, renewal, and the triumph of light over darkness,” she added, observing that it strengthens values including tolerance, fraternity, and a connection to cultural identity.

Zoroastrians follow one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions, founded in ancient Persia and based on the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster. The faith emphasizes the victory of light over darkness, the pursuit of truth, and moral responsibility. Today, roughly 100,000 to 200,000 Zoroastrians remain worldwide, with a small but active community in Iraq, particularly in the Kurdistan Region.