ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday said the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is actively working to ensure that every citizen “practices their faith, openly and safely,” citing the Region’s cultural diversity as a source of strength.

“Our government is actively working to build more mosques, churches, and places of worship, ensuring every citizen has the right to practice their faith, openly and safely,” said Barzani during the Kurdistan National Prayer Breakfast event in Erbil.

The first-of-its-kind gathering aimed at promoting and highlighting co-existence and unity among the Kurdistan Region’s different religious components.

At least 400 guests from Iraq and beyond attended the event, including diplomats, lawmakers, and religious leaders from multiple faiths, including Islam, Christianity, and Yazidism.

“Education, too, plays a crucial role in shaping a harmonious future. That is why we are reforming our school curriculum to reflect the true, diverse, and inclusive nature of Kurdistan. Teaching our children not only about their own traditions, but about those of their neighbors,” Barzani said.

“The multiculturalism is not a challenge, but a strength that we draw upon in building a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous Kurdistan,” stated the Kurdish premier.

“Our vision for Kurdistan is clear; a future for all faiths and nationalities that can live freely, contribute fully, and find hope in a shared future,” he added.

Prime Minister Barzani also renewed condolences over the recent death of Pope Francis during his speech, wishing that his legacy “inspires unity among all peoples of the world.”

Pope Francis died on Monday morning at the age of 88 after grappling with pneumonia.

Pope Francis had been severely ill with pneumonia in recent months, yet still managed to make a public address on Easter Sunday to worshipers from the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

The late Pope visited the Kurdistan Region in 2021, meeting with Kurdish leaders and expressing his gratitude to the KRG for their efforts to protect Christians during the war with the Islamic State (ISIS).

During his historic visit to Erbil, he addressed a crowd of 10,000 at the Franso Hariri stadium, celebrating Christians in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq and urging interfaith tolerance.

“United in faith and goodwill, we pray together… We pray for a Kurdistan, and Iraq, a Middle East, and a world where no one needs to suffer for what they believe, the language they speak, or the nation they carry in their hearts,” said the Kurdish premier.