People across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and other parts of Greater Kurdistan in Iran, Syria, and Turkey celebrate Kurdistan Flag Day” today. Kurdish people proudly hoist their flag annually on Dec. 17 and engage in celebrations where the national anthem is played, and traditional Kurdish outfits are worn.
The day is also unofficially celebrated in other parts of the Greater Kurdistan, such as the Kurdistan of Turkey (Bakur) and Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava). The Iranian government prohibits the celebration of Kurdistan Flag Day in Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhilat).
On June 19, 2004, parliament chose Dec. 17 as the national Flag Day, a nod to the Mahabad Republic, and its fight for Kurdish rights. It’s worth mentioning that Kurds are labeled the largest stateless ethnic group in the world, with a population of over 40 million people, scattered around the globe but mostly living in southeastern Turkey (Bakur), northwestern Iran (Rojhilat), northern Iraq (Bashur/Kurdistan Region), and northern Syria (Rojava).