Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on ​​Tuesday received Mar Awa III, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, and underlined the importance of peaceful coexistence in the Kurdistan Region.

According to the KRG readout, they discussed the importance of further promoting the culture of harmony among the diverse components of the Kurdistan Region.

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During the Kurdistan National Prayer Breakfast, held for the first time in Erbil from April 22 to 25, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also underlined the importance of religious coexistence.

“Today, the KRG remains committed to this sacred duty. We are not only rebuilding homes and cities, but renewing our promise to protect freedom of religion, promote coexistence, and foster peace in every corner of our land,” he stated during the event.

“We are proud that the city of Ankawa, here in Erbil, stands as the only growing Christian city in the Middle East, with a population that has more than doubled since 2011 – a testament to our commitment to diversity and coexistence,” Prime Minister Barzani said, adding that the KRG is investing in the restoration and development of Yezidi holy sites, as well as preserving mosques, churches, and temples for all communities.”

Ankawa, a Christian-majority suburb of Erbil, was turned into a separate district in 2021 by the Ninth Cabinet under the leadership of Prime Minister Barzani, to respect the local Christian community in the area.

In 2014, the Kurdistan Region hosted hundreds of thousands Yezidis, Christians, and other religious groups that fled the rise of ISIS.