Yazidi UPDATES genocide has occurred and is ongoing

[Anthea]

Sinjar to Follow Halabja in
Push for Governorate Status

Iraqi lawmaker Mahma Khalil said on Sunday that following the official recognition of Halabja as a province, efforts will now shift to promoting Sinjar’s elevation to governorate status in the Iraqi parliament

“After the governorship of Halabja, every effort will be made to start the procedures for the governorship of Sinjar in the Iraqi parliament,” the lawmaker told BasNews.

Khalil, who previously served as governor of Sinjar, confirmed that a formal project to designate Sinjar as a province is underway and has gained traction within the legislature. He said Sinjar is ready for this administrative upgrade and emphasized the need for political and legal support from Baghdad.

The people of Sinjar have repeatedly demanded provincial status and have expressed a desire to be part of the Kurdistan Region. In the 2017 Kurdistan independence referendum, more than 90% of voters in Sinjar supported secession from Iraq

The remarks come just days after the Iraqi parliament officially approved Halabja as a province, marking a historic milestone for the Kurdish region. The decision passed during a special session of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, with strong backing from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and other Kurdish factions.

“After much anticipation and direct efforts by our leader President Barzani, along with persistent requests from our party and support from other Kurdish factions, we are delighted that the draft law for recognizing Halabja as a governorate has been approved,” said Meriwan Qarani, Deputy Head of the KDP faction

Halabja’s new status is widely seen as a recognition of its historical suffering, particularly the 1988 chemical attack by Saddam Hussein’s regime that claimed thousands of lives and became a global symbol of Kurdish resilience.

Sinjar, too, has endured tragedy—most notably the 2014 ISIS genocide against the Yezidis—and many believe provincial status would provide greater administrative autonomy and resources for recovery and development.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/882644

[Anthea]

Lalish Center on 32nd anniversary

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday extended heartfelt congratulations to the Yazidi community on the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of the Lalish Cultural and Social Center, lauding the institution’s enduring contributions to Kurdish cultural preservation, Yazidi heritage, and social harmony in the Kurdistan Region

In a message addressed to the Lalish Center's leadership and members, PM Barzani praised the center as a vital guardian of authentic Kurdish culture and a vibrant symbol of the Yazidi people's resilience and traditions.

"I congratulate the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of the Lalish Cultural and Social Center to the chairman and members of the high committee and all Yazidi brothers and sisters, and I wish you progress and continuity," the Prime Minister wrote in his message.

"The Lalish Center has provided a notable service to authentic Kurdish culture and art and the traditions of the Yazidi community, and has played an important role in strengthening brotherhood and coexistence among the components of Kurdistan," he added

Established in 1993 at the heart of Yazidism’s spiritual homeland near the sacred Lalish temple in Shekhan, the Lalish Center has become one of the most prominent institutions safeguarding Yazidi religious practices, rituals, and cultural life.

It also serves as a key hub for academic, artistic, and social engagement, attracting visitors, researchers, and spiritual pilgrims from across the region and the diaspora.

PM Barzani’s message is the latest in a series of official affirmations of support for the Yazidi community, which has endured profound hardship in recent decades, including displacement and genocide at the hands of ISIS in 2014.

In the years since, the Kurdistan Regional Government has made Yazidi recovery and cultural preservation a cornerstone of its post-conflict rebuilding efforts.

The Prime Minister’s recognition of the Lalish Center underscores its dual role as both a sanctuary for Yazidi identity and a pillar of broader Kurdish multiculturalism.

The center's activities—ranging from cultural festivals and educational seminars to interfaith dialogue and the documentation of Yazidi oral history—have consistently promoted unity among Kurdistan’s diverse ethnic and religious communities

In closing his message, PM Barzani reiterated his hope for the continued success of the Lalish Center, affirming its position not just as a Yazidi institution but as an essential component of Kurdistan’s collective cultural fabric: "Congratulations on the establishment of the Lalish Center and may you always be successful."

As celebrations mark the 32nd anniversary of the center’s founding, the Lalish Center stands not only as a monument to Yazidi resilience, but also as a living embodiment of Kurdistan’s enduring commitment to coexistence, memory, and cultural dignity.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/83 ... munal-role