Shafaq News – Al-Sulaymaniyah

Al-Sulaymaniyah launched on Thursday its three-day celebration marking the city’s 241st anniversary, featuring cultural, artistic and heritage events across multiple districts.

Founded in 1784 by Prince Ibrahim Pasha Baban, Al-Sulaymaniyah has long been a major center of culture, literature and politics in Kurdistan and Iraq, and home to generations of writers, poets and artists.

Festival Supervisor Jara Taher told Shafaq News the program aims to highlight the city’s historical and cultural identity through folkloric performances, heritage exhibitions, and displays of traditional Kurdish foods and clothing.

Speaking to our agency, Bayan Star, head of the visual arts department at the General Directorate of Culture and Arts, said the directorate opened a photo exhibition showcasing influential literary, cultural and artistic figures who shaped Al-Sulaymaniyah’s intellectual life.

The activities are part of efforts to "reinforce the city’s historical identity on a day residents consider one of memory and heritage," she added.