ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Leaders from the Kurdistan Region commemorated the eighth anniversary of the Kurdistan Region's 2017 independence referendum on Thursday, dubbing it a day of "hope and aspiration."

Eight years ago, on September 25, 2017, millions of Kurds across the Kurdistan Region cast their ballots in a historic independence referendum.

The vote concluded with a landslide 92.7 percent in favor of secession, forever etching into the conscience of the international community the Kurdish people's desire for an independent state, which stands on a history of blood, struggles, and sacrifice.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, in a statement, commemorated the milestone, describing it as "the day of the brave decision of Kurdistan's people, the day of the triumph of the nation's will, and the day of hope and aspiration." 

On the occasion, the prime minister congratulated President Masoud Barzani, as well as the "families of the prideful martyrs, Peshmerga champions, and the patriotic and resilient people of Kurdistan." 

President Barzani marked the day with a message, writing, "Homeland is not a map on paper, but blood running through the veins." 

"What you sow today, you will reap tomorrow," the Kurdish leader added.

The peaceful Kurdish people's expression of self-determination, however, was countered mere weeks later by an Iran-backed Iraqi military campaign on October 16, 2017, in Kirkuk and other disputed areas, leading to a withdrawal of the Peshmerga forces, casualties in its ranks, as well as the displacement of thousands of families from their homes.

Despite failing to bring about the long-sought-after Kurdish state, the vote is commemorated every year as a milestone achievement, as it has put on display Kurdistan's deep-rooted desire for self-determination, and its defiance in the face of centuries of oppression.