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Erbil That I Saw and the Honorable Kingdom

Erbil That I Saw and the Honorable Kingdom

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By Aziz RabahBoard of Trustees – Arjaa Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development

An international conference on renewable energy and the environment was held on June 5–6, 2024, under the patronage of Iraq’s Ministry of Higher Education.The conference provided an opportunity to meet many participants from different countries — particularly Iraq — including scientists and officials from both the federal government and the Kurdistan Region.

It was my first visit to brotherly Iraq, specifically to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region. Some colleagues kindly organized visits for me to several sites within the city and its surroundings.

I was delighted to witness a reality quite different from what is often portrayed — a beautiful, safe city, steeped in ancient history with landmarks such as the Erbil Citadel, dating back over 6,000 years, and Mount Siffin, the site of the famous battle, alongside other remnants of past civilizations. These stand side-by-side with modern urban and economic development that, if protected from those conspiring against Iraq and the Region, would make Erbil one of the most distinguished and advanced cities in the world.

The Kurdistan Region, home to around six million people, the overwhelming majority being Sunni Muslims, counts nearly 6,000 mosques — one mosque for every thousand citizens.Its people cherish their Kurdish identity yet reject sectarianism, which destroys shared values, fuels conflict, fractures unity, enables foreign interference, spreads superstition, and drains national energy.

The region has 37 universities and institutes, experiencing a scientific renaissance led by Iraqi and Kurdish scholars — including those returning from abroad. There is a strong focus on disciplines that build the human being, history, society, economy, technology, and international relations.

Kurdistan also hosts eleven industrial zones covering various sectors, governed by a charter that encourages both local and foreign investment. Officials and professionals are striving to overcome bureaucracy and obstacles to make the region more competitive and attractive. The food and pharmaceutical industries occupy a prominent position amid the local and global economic transformations.

Having defeated terrorism and ISIS, the people of the region — and of all Iraq — recognize that these evils were the result of international and regional conspiracies designed to destroy Mesopotamia, seize its wealth, distort Sunni Islam, justify foreign intervention, assassinate resistance leaders, and fragment society.

Erbil, as I saw it, opens its arms and heart to all visitors.Wandering through its streets and alleys, one encounters the features of a modern city looking confidently toward the future while preserving its authentic values.Those same values are evident in its people — welcoming, generous, and sincere. They greet guests warmly, invite them to their homes and gatherings, and feel regret if the guest cannot accept their invitation.

I was moved when an Iraqi Kurd — whether scholar, official, politician, journalist, or ordinary citizen — would ask my nationality. When I answered “from Morocco,” he would stand respectfully and repeat, “From the Honorable Kingdom?!”Then the greetings and hospitality would grow even warmer, and he would insist on hosting me to learn more about Morocco and its people.

I was also pleased to hear from some about Moroccan roots of certain Iraqi and Kurdish scholars, sheikhs, fighters, and noble families whose legacy continues to shape the region’s cultural and spiritual life.

Many participants from Iraq, Kurdistan, Lebanon, and Libya expressed their deep wish to visit Morocco, hoping that travel procedures and visa requirements will soon become easier — whether for tourism or investment.

Even the Moroccan woman has her share in this positive image: some Iraqis told me how fortunate they feel to be married to Moroccan women, admiring their ethics, devotion to family, good upbringing of children, hospitality, refined taste, and their ability to share Morocco’s artistic and cultural heritage through furniture, fashion, cuisine, and art.

Indeed, the Honorable Kingdom wins hearts across the Arab and Muslim world.Its sons and daughters justly take pride in their nation — a pride that deepens each time they travel and meet people abroad.

Erbil’s Distinctive Traits

  • Pride in belonging to the Arab-Islamic Ummah

  • Embracing uniqueness while rejecting sectarianism

  • Pluralism within unity and solidarity

  • Blending heritage and modernity

  • Resisting international and regional conspiracies

  • Building a comprehensive and attractive renaissance

  • A heartfelt desire for cooperation and connection with Morocco

“Seeing is not like hearing.”These are but some of the impressions that remained with me — and they are many — from my brief yet memorable visit to Erbil.

 
 
 

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