UNESCO names Horaman a World Heritage Site..Halabja welcomes

Shafaq News/ Social and cultural activists in al-Sulaymaniyah and Halabja welcome on Tuesday UNESCO's decision to add "Horaman" to its list of world heritage sites.

The head of Halabja's Directorate for Culture and Art, Muhammad Fattah, told Shafaq News Agency, "it is pleasing news for the Kurds in general, and the people of Horaman, Halabja, and Sharazur in particular. The decision is a fruit of the efforts of Kurdish intellectuals from both Halabja and Horaman."

"This territory has distinct cultural features. It has distinguished architecture, poetry, songs, and dances. It also has scientific contributions."

"The Directorate welcomes this step, and it will hold a ceremony on the occasion soon in Halabja," he said.

The chair of Zewe Organization for Culture and Arts, Karawan Hasan, said, "the area is nearly 2000 years old. It encompasses 76 villages from both the Iraqi and the Iranian sides. Its population is estimated at 1.5 to 2 million. The majority of the locals work in agriculture, livestock husbandry, and craftwork."