Patriarch of Assyrian Church of the East Mar Awa III Royel honored with Russian Order of Friendship Medal for promoting interfaith harmony

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East Mar Awa III Royel was awarded the Russian Order of Friendship Medal by Elbrus Kotreshev, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Iraq. The event took place in the presence of Maxim Rubin, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).

The honor was conferred based on an official decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on 22 November 2023. The decree recognized Patriarch Mar Awa III’s contributions to fostering relations between different communities and promoting peace through his religious leadership.

In his acceptance speech, Patriarch Mar Awa III expressed gratitude to the Russian Federation for the recognition and highlighted the long-standing historical ties between the Assyrian Church of the East and Russia, especially during the period of the Russian Empire and World War I. He emphasized the strong relationship between the Syriac–Assyrians in Russia and the Russian people.

The ceremony was attended by members of clergy, representatives from the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs of the Kurdistan Regional Government, officials from the Russian Embassy in Baghdad, and the Russian Consulate General in Erbil.

Following the award presentation, a reception was held by the Russian Consulate, where attendees engaged in discussions on a variety of topics, further strengthening the bond between the two communities.