Nala Festival organizers condemn Iraqi Government’s plan to displace Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian villages for dam project

NOHADRA, Iraq — The organizing committee of the annual Nala Festival, held in the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian villages of Nohadra (Duhok), Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), expressed strong criticism towards the Iraqi government for disregarding their concerns.

The committee voiced opposition to a proposed dam project that threatens to displace eight Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian villages in the Nala Valley. They emphasized that this project, if implemented, would erase these villages and undermine the historical presence of the indigenous Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people in the region.

The committee stressed that uprooting these villages equates to the eradication of their cultural heritage and existence. They called on the government to consider the opinions of village representatives before proceeding with development projects, asserting that no form of “progress” should come at the expense of an indigenous minority’s survival.

The Nala Festival, which began on Thursday and lasted for three days, featured speeches, an exhibition of traditional heritage and agricultural tools, and the serving of traditional foods. The festival was attended by official, party, religious, and public delegations.