On Thursday, August 20, 2026, President Masoud Barzani received His Eminence Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, Patriarch Emeritus of the Chaldean Catholic Church.
During the meeting, Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako expressed his appreciation for President Barzani’s role in promoting the noble values of coexistence and humanitarianism, as well as in strengthening peace and stability in Kurdistan, Iraq, and the wider region. He also thanked President Barzani for his role in protecting the Christian community and the other ethnic and religious communities of Kurdistan and Iraq.
Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako also stated that, in recognition of President Barzani’s significant role in promoting peace and human values, he had requested that the Pope at the Vatican confer a high-level papal medal of honor upon President Barzani.
For his part, President Barzani expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Pope and Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako. He emphasized that it is a source of great pride for the people of Kurdistan to have inherited a rich culture of coexistence, harmony, and commitment to peace.
President Barzani also stressed the importance of preserving the values of brotherhood and harmony among the different communities of Kurdistan. He further stated that people should be judged by their conduct and actions, not by their beliefs or religious affiliations.