On Tuesday, President Masoud Barzani congratulated Yezidis on the occasion of the annual Gathering and Feast of Seven Days, a Yezidi holiday also known as Jamayi, and underlined that the Kurdistan Region will continue to support the religious community’s rights.

“On the occasion of the [Jamayi] Festival of our Yezidi sisters and brothers, I extend my warmest congratulations to the spiritual and religious community, and to all Yezidis in Kurdistan and around the world.

“I hope that my Yezidi sisters and brothers will celebrate all their festivals and occasions freely, in peace and security. On this occasion, I assure my Yezidi sisters and brothers that we will always support the protection of their legitimate rights and demands,” he said.

The Jamayi Festival is celebrated annually from October 6 to October 13 at the Lalish Temple valley sanctuary, the most sacred site in the Yezidi faith, located in the Kurdistan Region. 

During the week-long festival, Yezidis from around the world travel to Lalish to take part in religious ceremonies and reunite as a community.

In a statement on Tuesday, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also congratulated the Yezidi community. “I hope that all your days will be filled with celebration, goodness, and happiness,” he said. “The KRG has always supported the legitimate rights of our Yezidi sisters and brothers.”

Furthermore, in a congratulation message, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani underlined that he hopes that Yezidis can celebrate the occasion in peace and tranquility.

“We reaffirm our commitment to our Yezidi citizens and all other communities in the Kurdistan Region, and assure them that we will continue to protect and uphold their rights. Kurdistan will remain a place of peaceful coexistence for all.”