By Manal El Warraky
Cairo witnessed the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) office’s celebration of Nowruz, the Kurdish national holiday and Kurdish New Year. The celebration was attended by Dr. Rehab Khaled Youssef, Chargé d’Affaires of the Iraqi Embassy in Cairo; Iraqi Consul Issam Kheder; Dr. Hussein Handawi, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League; Yassin Raouf, representative of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan; Mr. Sherko Habib, head of the KDP office in Cairo; and a number of representatives, diplomats, Iraqi embassy staff, diplomats, media professionals, and academics.
Counselor Dr. Rehab Khaled Youssef, Chargé d’Affaires of the Iraqi Embassy in Cairo, extended her congratulations on Nowruz to the Kurdish people, Iraq, and to Leader Masoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP); Mr. Sherko Habib, head of the party’s office in Cairo; on behalf of the Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to Cairo, Dr. Qahtan Taha; Khalaf al-Janabi; and members of the Iraqi Embassy in Cairo. Dr. Rehab Khaled said that Nowruz, which has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years, represents an integral part of the heritage and identity of our Kurdish people.
It symbolizes renewal, rebirth, freedom, and liberation from injustice and tyranny. It carries within it the values of life, peace, and love, making it a holiday of hope and a prosperous new life. It is not just the beginning of a new chapter, but a symbol of resilience and optimism, a message of hope for a brighter tomorrow, and an expression of the will of free peoples to move toward peace and prosperity.
The Chargé d’Affaires of the Iraqi Embassy in Cairo added that Iraq, with its cultural and ethnic diversity, embodies the spirit of Nowruz in all its meanings. Just as spring comes after winter, Iraq, after every challenge, moves toward stability and prosperity through the solidarity of its people from all components within the framework of a democratic state that respects pluralism and guarantees the rights of all its citizens. In light of the many challenges facing the region, we increasingly need to draw inspiration from the meanings of Nowruz to build a unified, strong, prosperous, and stable Iraq. We hope that Nowruz 2025 will be filled with peace, love, stability, and progress.
Dr. Hussein Hindawi, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, said that Nowruz is a message of peace, love, tolerance, and brotherhood directed by the Kurdish people to Iraq and the entire world. They are a tolerant people who have known their path to struggle and freedom since ancient times, and they carry a message of peace for all.
Their leaders enjoy a status befitting their history in the Arab and Islamic world. Sherko Habib, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s Cairo office, thanked the Egyptian government for hosting the party’s celebration of the National Day and the Kurdish New Year, which falls on March 21. Habib said that “Nowruz” means “new day,” marking the beginning of the most beautiful season, spring. In this season, Kurdistan is adorned with the colors of the natural spectrum, with the scent of fresh air, roses, and flowers emanating natural aromas. It is the beginning of freedom, the end of dictatorship, and the establishment of democracy, freedom of expression, and coexistence. From this, we draw inspiration for the meanings of humanity and life. Citizens used to defy the authorities and celebrate this holiday.
After the 1991 Spring Uprising, the celebration became public. After 2003, it became a holiday for all Iraqis and an official holiday throughout Iraq. The various components of Iraq now share this joy with the Kurdish people, and it has become an Iraqi holiday. Habib continued: “We are working to spread the spirit of love, tolerance, and lofty values, reject hatred and violence, and build a civil society characterized by peace, brotherhood, and coexistence.
We are working to resolve disputes with a high patriotic spirit, especially since we in Iraq have all suffered the horrors of war and dictatorship over the past decades. Now is the time to work with a spirit of patriotism and brotherhood to build a civil society and a democratic, federal Iraq.” Habib emphasized that the Kurdistan Democratic Party works for tolerance and brotherhood among all Iraqis and has been striving for these goals since its founding on August 16, 1946, under the leadership of the spiritual father of the Kurdish people, the immortal Mulla Mustafa Barzani. Under the leadership of Masoud Barzani, Kurdistan has become an oasis of stability, democracy, and peaceful coexistence.
Habib noted that the war against ISIS saw thousands of Iraqi citizens fleeing to Kurdistan from various regions, with half a million people currently residing in the region. We are working to form a regional government based on the results of the parliamentary elections held in October of last year, in which the party won a majority of seats—39 out of 100—and we have received over one million votes out of a total of two and a half million voters, not including the votes of the diaspora. This has made the Kurdistan Democratic Party the largest political party in Iraq, thanks to its leadership and cadres.
Habib emphasized that the formation of the regional government is witnessing a convergence of views with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and that the government will be formed in April. We have not imposed conditions on anyone, nor will we accept any conditions from anyone. We are committed to the election results, and the ninth cabinet, headed by Masrour Barzani, has succeeded in integrating services, reconstruction, stability, and security despite the challenges.
Habib pointed to the upcoming Iraqi National Assembly elections this year, expressing his hope that the Iraqi people will elect a representative who will faithfully change policies and serve citizens in a manner befitting the Iraqis, who have the oldest civilization and laws in history.
