Kurdish language gains official status for Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia
Shafaq News/ Saudi Arabia has begun incorporating the Kurdish language into its official welcome banners for Hajj pilgrims, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The statement credits KRG's Director General of Hajj and Umrah, Sheikh Niyaz Ragheb al-Naqshbandi, who pushed for the move during a recent Hajj services conference held in Jeddah.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has reportedly responded positively and initiated printing welcome signs in Kurdish. The KRG statement indicated that Kurdish will be progressively added to other official materials, including pilgrim guides and ministry websites.
The Ministry, according to the statement, also seeks plans for future collaboration between the KRG and Saudi authorities to further expand the use of Kurdish in various contexts.
