Masoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and former President of the Kurdistan Region, has been officially invited to attend the opening of a park in Paris named in honor of the Peshmerga forces. The announcement was made by Ali Dolamari, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) representative in Paris, during a Newroz reception in the French capital.

Dolamari stated that Barzani received the invitation from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, recognizing his role as a Peshmerga and his leadership in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). "President Barzani will be officially invited to open the Peshmerga Park because he is a Peshmerga himself," Dolamari told Rudaw. No specific date for the opening has been announced yet.

The park is a symbol of the strong ties between France and the Kurdistan Region, which date back to the 1980s. Danielle Mitterrand, France’s former First Lady (1981–1995), was a vocal advocate for Kurdish rights during Saddam Hussein’s regime and played a key role in establishing the no-fly zone that helped the Kurdistan Region gain autonomy. She was affectionately called the "Mother of Kurds" and inaugurated the first Kurdish parliament in 1992.

During a 2016 visit to Paris, Barzani compared Mayor Hidalgo to Mitterrand, highlighting France’s continued support for the Kurdish cause. France has been a key member of the global coalition against ISIS, training around 10,000 Iraqi soldiers, including Peshmerga forces, and remains actively involved in counterterrorism efforts.

The upcoming opening of Peshmerga Park underscores the enduring partnership between the Kurdistan Region and France, celebrating the sacrifices of Kurdish fighters in the battle against extremism.