President Barzani: Christians shape Kurdistan Region’s future
Shafaq News- Vatican City
Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani affirmed during talks with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday that Christians and all religious communities are not only an integral part of the Kurdistan Region’s history and identity, but continue to shape its future.
Barzani stressed the importance of protecting the rights, dignity, and continued presence of Christians and other communities in their ancestral homeland, describing the responsibility as a lasting duty. He expressed appreciation for the Vatican’s moral leadership and efforts to promote dialogue and coexistence worldwide.
I was honored to meet His Holiness Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex today in the Vatican.I reaffirmed that Christians and all religious communities are not only an integral part of the Kurdistan Region’s history and identity, but continue to shape its future.I reiterated to His… pic.twitter.com/4tIu1dvpui
— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) May 18, 2026
Read more: Iraqi Kurdistan’s pluralism: A living model of coexistence
The Kurdish President recalled the historic visit of the late Pope Francis to Iraq, including the Region, and extended an official invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit Iraq.
Pope Leo XIV praised the culture of tolerance and coexistence in Baghdad and Erbil, commending the Region’s role in sheltering and protecting displaced people and Christian communities during recent crises.
The two sides also discussed regional developments and called for greater peace, stability, and security worldwide.
سهرۆك نێچيرڤان بارزانى لهگهڵ قهداسهتى پاپا ليۆى چوارده كۆبووهوهhttps://t.co/nzuhY8uvDm pic.twitter.com/uDtXPgSH0v
— Kurdistan Region Presidency (@KurdistanRegion) May 18, 2026
Barzani arrived in Rome and Vatican City on Sunday for a two-day official visit that includes meetings with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and senior officials from the Italian and Vatican governments to discuss bilateral relations as well as political and security developments in Iraq and the wider region.
Read more: Popes’ visits to crisis countries: The struggle for survival
