On May 11, the Barzani National Memorial (BNM), which includes a library and a museum, was officially opened in the presence of foreign dignitaries, Iraqi leaders, religious clergy, and journalists. The design of the museum mirrors the rugged landscape of the mountains that have provided shelter and safeguarded the Kurdish people for decades.

The Barzani National Memorial project was envisioned and led by President Masoud Barzani with construction beginning in 2007 under the supervision of Sirwan Barzani.

The memorial is a tribute to the historical Kurdish leader Mustafa Barzani (1903-1979), also known as the “Father of Kurds,” and includes historical information about his predecessors Sheikh Abdulselam Barzani (1874-1914) and Sheikh Ahmed Khudan (1896-1969) as well as about the Barzan region.

The museum displays clothes, personal items, and historical documents from these Kurdish leaders. The official website of the memorial also includes a 3D, 360-degree view of the museum.

“A very unique history”

Barzan is a small village in size but became a major target for all the empires and governments that came to the region. From 1892 to 1987, this small village was occupied several times and burned sixteen times. 

During the inauguration, President Masoud Barzani fought back tears in expressing how the memorial serves as a poignant testament to the profound historical significance of Barzan.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, Deputy Iraqi Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, and UNAMI head Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert were also present during the event.

“We have the right, just as other nations do, to be proud of our leaders, who have dedicated their lives to their nations in times of national struggle,” Iraqi President Abdullatif Rashid said in his speech.

President Barzani also underlined in his opening address that the ancestors of the Kurds have “left us a very, very unique history. My request to all these friends is not to equate this great history with the present generation.”

“The history and legacy of Barzan should only be measured on the basis of the struggles of Sheikh Abdulsalam, Sheikh Ahmed, and Mustafa Barzani,” he added.

Sheikh Abdulselam Barzani and Sheikh Ahmed Khudan

The museum offers comprehensive information about Sheikh Abdulselam, who took on the position of the spiritual center's new religious leader in Barzan in 1903.

He is renowned for his pioneering efforts in leading the Kurdish nationalist movement, promoting the principles of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and environmental preservation. As a result, hunting and deforestation are currently prohibited in Barzan.

President Masoud Barzani also mentioned that Sheikh Abdulselam was a pioneer in women’s rights in prohibiting the forced marriage of girls in Barzan. He continued his quest until his execution by hanging in 1914 by the Ottoman Empire.

The BNM website mentions that a British diplomat noted in 1914 that Abdulsselam Barzani was sometimes called the “Christian Sheik” as a term of disparagement by other Kurdish tribal chiefs, as he had the reputation of treating the Christians fairly.

“Sheikh Abdulsalam, although short-lived, was indeed productive; he began a great revolution that was perhaps a hundred years ahead of his time,” President Masoud Barzani underlined.

“He began a fundamental reform to define that the Barzan path does not mean that everyone in the Barzan region was on that path; the path was much broader, bigger, and more inclusive than that.”

He led a Kurdish national movement amidst challenging global circumstances, including the tumultuous periods of both World Wars, which divided the Kurdish people across four different countries.

Mustafa Barzani

Subsequently, Mullah Mustafa Barzani assumed leadership of the Kurdish struggle. In the 1950s, facing persecution and arrest warrants from Iran and Iraq, he embarked on an incredible 700-km journey to seek refuge in the Soviet Union. This perilous escape followed the collapse of the brief Republic of Kurdistan (or the Republic of Mahabad) in Iran from 1945 to 1946, during which he served as the defense minister.

President Masoud Barzani described this extraordinary feat as nothing short of a miracle. The museum features a map illustrating the remarkable route taken by Mustafa Barzani that eventually led him to the Soviet Union.

Mullah Mustafa returned to Iraq in 1958 after a military coup by Abdul Karim Qasim. However, after Qasim reneged on his promises for Kurdish autonomy, he led the 1960 September revolution to push for Kurdish rights.

The revolution carried with it many of the tenets of the reforms of Sheikh Abdulselam and Sheikh Ahmed, President Masoud Barzani said, “He [Mullah Mustafa Barzani] constantly emphasized that our war against the regime is not between two nations (Arabs and Kurds)...our ultimate mission is self-defense.”

During the September Revolution, “many Arab brothers including Turkmen and Christian participated not only as peshmerga, but also as leaders of the revolution,” he added.

A memorial to coexistence

The memorial thus also represents religious coexistence of the Kurdistan Region. For instance, the museum building includes three domes that symbolize the brotherly coexistence of the three religions of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism in the Barzan area.

Moreover, when one enters the museum, they are greeted by a mosaic created from different marbles that showcase various religious symbols, such as churches and Yezidi temples and feature a depiction of Mustafa Barzani, the Kurdish leader.

Synagogues, churches and mosques were built alongside each other, and Muslims, Jews, and Christians were living together. “Regardless of their faith and social culture, the people regarded the Barzani Sheikhs as their guiding source,” the caption said.

To symbolize this reality, the three domes of the museum are directed toward the Barzani’s grave. Visible from an elevated vantage point is the appearance of the wings of a hawk embracing a pearl on the crown of each dome.

“Barzani’s resistance against oppression is in itself an indication that their success has historically derived not from their size in numbers or arms but rather their belief in righteousness. It was indeed that same belief that made them live with the thought that dying for this cause is a very normal thing,” President Masoud Barzani concluded.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg is a seasoned reporter and analyst who specializes in Kurdish affairs, and holds a Master's degree in Kurdish studies from Exeter University.