Second Dooreh Festival in Barwari Bala, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, concludes

NOHADRA, Kurdistan Region of Iraq ─ After three consecutive days, the events of the Second Dooreh Festival concluded on Saturday evening in the Barwari Bala area of Nohadra (Duhok) Governorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), amid a large public turnout and festive atmosphere.

The festival, which opened on Thursday, 24 July, witnessed the participation of hundreds of families from Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian villages and towns, as well as from various regions of the KRI. Attendees included Church representatives, parliamentarians, government officials, and representatives from Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian political parties.

The festival was inaugurated by the Director General of Syriac Culture and Arts, Kaldo Ramzi Oghanna, who delivered a speech in both Syriac and Kurdish. In his remarks, he emphasized that preserving heritage and language is a form of resistance and affirmation of existence.

The ceremony also featured speeches by the Assyrian Church of the East Bishop of Nohadra and Nineveh Mar Abris Youkhana, Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian MP in the Kurdistan Region Parliament, James Hessdo Haido, and a representative of the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) local branch in Kani Masi. 

The festival included folkloric and musical performances by artists from both the homeland and the diaspora, along with academic events and lectures addressing social and cultural issues. 

Additionally, exhibitions of handicrafts and traditional foods were held, with special entertainment activities organized for children. 

Read Also: Celebrations in Nohadra for the Nusardil Festival and prayer at Mar Qayum 

The Dooreh Festival is considered one of the most prominent summer events held in areas inhabited by the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people in Iraq. It aims to revive and celebrate their rich heritage and culture.