Sulaimaniya launched a three-day festival Thursday celebrating its 241st anniversary with cultural performances, heritage exhibitions, and artistic displays. Founded in 1784, the Kurdish city honors its legacy as a center of literature, politics, and progressive thought.
Historic Foundation and Cultural Legacy
Founded in 1784 by Prince Ibrahim Pasha Baban and named after Sulayman Pasha Baban, a ruler of the Baban principality, Sulaymaniyah has served as a major cultural, literary, and political center in Kurdistan and Iraq for more than two centuries. The city has nurtured generations of writers, poets, and artists who have shaped the region’s intellectual landscape.
Festival Highlights and Events
Festival Supervisor Jara Taher told local sources that the program aims to highlight the city’s historical and cultural identity through folkloric performances, heritage exhibitions, and displays of traditional Kurdish foods and clothing across multiple districts.
Bayan Star, head of the visual arts department at the General Directorate of Culture and Arts, announced that a photo exhibition has been opened showcasing influential literary, cultural, and artistic figures who shaped Sulaymaniyah’s intellectual life. The exhibition includes notable events from the city’s past century presented through infographics.
The two-day celebration, sponsored by Channel8, features participation from prominent figures including Shahnaz Ibrahim Ahmed, Iraq’s First Lady; Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region; and Dr. Aram Mohammed Qadir, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Pioneer of Kurdish Enlightenment
Sulaymaniyah has been recognized as a hub of revolution and progressive thought throughout its history. The city achieved numerous groundbreaking accomplishments, including hosting the first Kurdish newspaper in Southern Kurdistan and establishing the first printing press in Kurdistan.
Other historic firsts include the beginning of Kurdish-language education, the launch of the Kurdish theater movement, and the recording of the first Kurdish anthem on vinyl. The Kurdistan Parliament officially declared Sulaymaniyah the capital of enlightenment in the Kurdistan Region.
Political Recognition and Future Commitment
The Political Bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) issued a statement marking the anniversary, congratulating the people and residents of Sulaymaniyah. The statement emphasized the city’s role as “the capital of the Baban Emirate, the seat of the first Kurdish government under King Mahmud, and a hub of culture and struggle.”
The PUK highlighted Sulaymaniyah’s position at the forefront of the Kurdish revolutionary and liberation movement, noting the inseparable bond between the city and the party through years of political struggle. The statement concluded with a commitment to continue advancing the development and prosperity of Sulaymaniyah, honoring the sacrifices of thousands of its residents who contributed to the city’s achievements across all fields of civilization.
