March 10 marks National Costume Day in the Kurdistan Region, where people in the Kurdistan Region, including students from different religious and ethnic communities, don their traditional attire to celebrate and honor their cultural heritage.
The day was introduced by former Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Education Safeen Dizayee in 2010, who is currently Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations.
#NationalCostumeDay was first introduced in our schools in 2011. The idea spread so that we proudly enjoy wearing our national outfits across Kurdistan.
— Safeen Dizayee (@SafeenDizayee) March 9, 2023
My best wishes to all Kurdistanis at home and abroad, of every ethnicity and religion. Our national costume is our pride. pic.twitter.com/m8cLQROD3j
“After 2003 Kurdistan opened up to the outside world and many new customs and traditions penetrated into society,” Dizayee told Kurdistan Chronicle as to why they introduced National Costume Day.
“The younger generation was interested in new lifestyles and copying them. Naturally, integration is a good thing, but for peoples like those living in Kurdistan, who are always under threat of annihilation, it is important to preserve their identities.”
Happy Kurdish Clothing Day! ❤️☀️? pic.twitter.com/jX8BC2Ayme
— KRG Austria (@KRG_Austria) March 10, 2024
The day is commonly referred to as ‘Kurdish Clothes Day’, but the official name is National Costume Day.
However, it is intended for all individuals wearing national attire, presenting the rich and diverse ethnic and religious communities who reside in the Kurdistan Region.
“As part of the decision, the day before the holidays start for the Kurdish New Year of Newroz – March 10 this year – students in all schools wear their national costumes, including Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Turkmens, and Armenians,” Dizayee said.
Although the national day was initially only meant for school students, people of all ages in the Kurdistan Region and also abroad now follow and participate in the event.
Wishing all Kurdistanis a joyous National Costume Day!
— Safeen Dizayee (@SafeenDizayee) March 10, 2024
Let's come together, weaving the threads of our cultural tapestry from our magnetic mountains to urban areas, embracing the richness of our heritage with pride. pic.twitter.com/7W0eHJl7XD
“That year (in 2010), only schools followed the event, but the following year all of the Kurdistan Region embraced it. Now all Kurdistanis home and abroad observe it.”
“Proud to have started the National Costume Day a decade ago when I served as the KRG Minister of Education,” Dizayee said in a post on X in 2020. “Today all of Kurdistan’s diverse ethnic and religious communities proudly enjoy wearing their national outfits.”
