Shafaq News/ Al-Sulaymaniyah, in theKurdistan Region, typically a festive destination filled with lights anddecorations during Christmas and New Year, has seen no official preparationsthis year from local government authorities to celebrate the holidays.
Absence of Official Events
Shafaq News correspondent, incontact with Al-Sulaymaniyah’s province, municipality, district council, andthe Directorate General of Culture and Arts, confirmed that “none of theseauthorities have announced official plans to celebrate these important annualevents, which traditionally add a unique character to the city.”
Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Region hasdeclared an 11-day official holiday to mark Christmas and New Year.
Despite the lack of officialpreparations, churches in the city have commenced their customary religiousactivities for the New Year.
Father Ayman Aziz Hurmz, Pastor of St.Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church in Al-Sulaymaniyah, told Shafaq News, “Christmasoffers a chance to promote love and peace among people… In the church, we arepreparing with special masses and children’s programs, including giftdistribution, to foster joy and strengthen community bonds.”
“This year, we are prioritizingcommunity engagement within the church, particularly given the absence ofpublic events in the city,” he added.
A Less joyful Celebration
Christian residents in the provinceare resolute in celebrating the occasion their own way. Murad Ayman, a localresident, shared with Shafaq News, “We decorate our homes and Christmas treeourselves and prepare to celebrate with family. While we miss the streetdecorations, we strive to create our own festive atmosphere.”
Mariam, another Christian resident, expressedto our agency, “Holidays are a time for us to connect with loved ones, givegifts to children, prepare traditional foods, and host relatives. We’ve madethe traditional Kleija and bought Khash to enjoy during the holiday.”
“However, we feel the festiveatmosphere in the city is less joyful without the involvement of officialbodies,” she said regretfully.
For his part, Kurdish citizen FarzadKarim told Shafaq News, “This year, preparations for Christmas and New Yearwere limited to churches and a few shops that decorated their windows, with noofficial celebrations in the city. In previous years, public squares wereadorned with lights and Christmas trees, which added to the festive joy foreveryone.”
“But this year, unfortunately, wedidn’t see any official preparations, which is both strange and disappointing,especially since these occasions provide an opportunity to strengthen communityspirit and coexistence among the city’s diverse population,” he confirmed.
Reasons and Implications
When contacting the relevantauthorities in Al-Sulaymaniyah, no official explanation was provided for thelack of preparations this year, our correspondent reported.
Informed sources suggested that thecity's economic and administrative challenges could be contributing factors,though no official statements have been made.
These celebrations provide anopportunity to strengthen community ties and attract tourists, boostingeconomic activity, particularly in trade, restaurants, and hotels. The lack ofsuch preparations this year raises concerns about its impact on residents'morale and the potential negative effect on commercial and tourism activities.
Nevertheless, citizens and churchesremain determined to celebrate in their own way, seeking to compensate for thelack of official festivities and preserve the holiday spirit that unites thecommunity across its various sectors.