Cardinal Louis Sako announces requesting the Pope to award President Barzani the Papal Medal of Appreciation in honor of his role in protecting the Christian component and other ethnic and religious components in Kurdistan and Iraq
According to a statement issued by the headquarters of President Masoud Barzani, President Barzani received Cardinal Louis Sako, Honorary Patriarch of the Chaldeans, on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
The statement noted that during the meeting, Cardinal Louis Sako expressed his appreciation for President Barzani’s role in deepening the noble values of coexistence and humanity, as well as consolidating peace and stability in Kurdistan, Iraq, and the wider region. He also thanked him for his positions in protecting the Christian component and other ethnic and religious components in Kurdistan and Iraq.
The statement explained that Cardinal Louis Sako announced he had requested Pope Francis to award President Barzani the high Papal Medal of Appreciation in honor of the “distinguished role played by President Barzani to establish peace and protect human values.”
For his part, President Barzani expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Pope and Cardinal Louis Sako, emphasizing the pride of the people of Kurdistan in their rich heritage of upholding the culture of coexistence, harmony, and peace, according to the statement.
According to the statement, President Barzani stressed the need to preserve the values of brotherhood and cohesion among the components of Kurdistan, stating that “behavior and actions are the true standard for evaluating a person, not belief or religious affiliation.”
Note: This text is translated from the original Arabic version… Read the Arabic version:Click here
