The Kurdistan Region’s capital officially entered the Guinness World Records on Thursday after a local restaurant prepared what organizers described as the world’s largest shawarma skewer.

According to an official statement, the record-setting ceremony was attended by Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw, who said the achievement was accomplished by “Kas Azadi” restaurant after preparing and cooking a shawarma skewer weighing 2 tons and 672 kilograms.

The new record surpassed the previous Guinness World Record title held by a restaurant in Turkey, the statement added.

Following the completion of the cooking process, more than 4,000 shawarma sandwiches were distributed free of charge to service institutions, orphanages, elderly care homes, and psychiatric hospitals under the supervision of the Kurdistan Humanitarian Organization.

Officials described the event as both a culinary achievement and a humanitarian initiative aimed at supporting vulnerable groups across the region.

The event drew large crowds and widespread attention on social media, with residents celebrating Erbil’s latest international recognition.