“Less joyful” Christmas and New Year: Al-Sulaymaniyah celebrates amid lack of official preparations
Shafaq News/ Al-Sulaymaniyah, in the Kurdistan Region, typically a festive destination filled with lights and decorations during Christmas and New Year, has seen no official preparations this year from local government authorities to celebrate the holidays.
Absence of Official Events
Shafaq News correspondent, in contact with officials in Al-Sulaymaniyah’s provincial council, municipality, and the Directorate General of Culture and Arts, confirmed that “none of these authorities have announced official plans to celebrate these important annual events, which traditionally add a unique character to the city.”
Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Region has declared an 11-day official holiday to mark Christmas and New Year.
Despite the lack of official preparations, churches in the city have commenced their customary religious activities for the New Year.
Father Ayman Aziz Hurmz, Pastor of St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church in Al-Sulaymaniyah, told Shafaq News, “Christmas offers a chance to promote love and peace among people… In the church, we are preparing with special masses and children’s programs, including gift distribution, to foster joy and strengthen community bonds.”
“This year, we are prioritizing community engagement within the church, particularly given the absence of public events in the city,” he added.
A Less joyful Celebration
Christian residents in the province are resolute in celebrating the occasion their own way. Murad Ayman, a local resident, shared with Shafaq News, “We decorate our homes and Christmas tree ourselves and prepare to celebrate with family. While we miss the street decorations, we strive to create our own festive atmosphere.”
Mariam, another Christian resident, expressed to our agency, “Holidays are a time for us to connect with loved ones, give gifts to children, prepare traditional foods, and host relatives. We’ve made the traditional Kleija and bought Khash to enjoy during the holiday.”
“However, we feel the festive atmosphere in the city is less joyful without the involvement of official bodies,” she said regretfully.
For his part, Kurdish citizen Farzad Karim told Shafaq News, “This year, preparations for Christmas and New Year were limited to churches and a few shops that decorated their windows, with no official celebrations in the city. In previous years, public squares were adorned with lights and Christmas trees, which added to the festive joy for everyone.”
“But this year, unfortunately, we didn’t see any official preparations, which is both strange and disappointing, especially since these occasions provide an opportunity to strengthen community spirit and coexistence among the city’s diverse population,” he confirmed.
Reasons and Implications
When contacting the relevant authorities in Al-Sulaymaniyah, no official explanation was provided for the lack of preparations this year, our correspondent reported.
Informed sources suggested that the city's economic and administrative challenges could be contributing factors, though no official statements have been made.
These celebrations provide an opportunity to strengthen community ties and attract tourists, boosting economic activity, particularly in trade, restaurants, and hotels. The lack of such preparations this year raises concerns about its impact on residents' morale and the potential negative effect on commercial and tourism activities.
Nevertheless, citizens and churches remain determined to celebrate in their own way, seeking to compensate for the lack of official festivities and preserve the holiday spirit that unites the community across its various sectors.
