Pope awards high-level commendation to Barzani, Kurdish leader's office says

ERBIL, Iraq — The Pope awarded a high-level papal commendation to Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, during a meeting in Erbil on Thursday, according to a statement from Barzani's office. Barzani received Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon, in Erbil, the statement said. Cardinal Sako presented the papal honor in recognition of Barzani's role in promoting peace, stability and humanitarian values across the Kurdistan Region, Iraq and the wider region. The cardinal also thanked Barzani for his contributions to protecting the Christian component and other national and religious communities. Sako said he had requested that the Vatican Pope bestow the high-level commendation in acknowledgment of Barzani's efforts on behalf of peace and humanitarian principles. Barzani expressed gratitude to the Pope and Cardinal Sako, emphasizing that the people of Kurdistan have inherited a culture of peace, harmony and coexistence. He reiterated his commitment to safeguarding the values of fraternity and concord among the region's diverse communities.