{{short description|National emblem}} thumb|The Kurdish sun '''The Kurdish Sun,''' also commonly referred to by its Kurdish name: {{Langx|ku|ڕۆژ|translit=Roj}}, is a burning golden sun and the national emblem of the Kurds. It's also found inside the flag of Kurdistan and the official flag of the Kurdistan Region. The sun disk of the emblem contains 21 rays of equal size and shape. According to Mehrdad Izady, who first designed the 21 rays, both the sun emblem and the number 21 hold religious and cultural importance in Yazidism, Yarsanism and Alevism, which he considers to be the native religions of Kurdistan. While designing the Kurdish Flag, Izady chose the 21 rays to symbolize the rebirth of the Kurdish nation, identity, and dignity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Learn About the Kurdistan Flag |url=https://thekurdishproject.org/history-and-culture/kurdish-culture/kurdish-flag/ |access-date=2026-02-14 |website=The Kurdish Project |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Years before independence talk someone had foresight to standardize the Kurdish flag |url=https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/210720171 |access-date=2026-02-14 |website=rudaw.net |language=en}}</ref>
== History == === Flags used === <gallery class="center" classes="center"> File:Kurdish flag (Khoiboun).svg|The first version of the modern Kurdistan flag, adopted by Xoybûn in 1928 as the flag of the Republic of Ararat (1927-1930).<ref name="rûdaw">{{cite web |last1=Johannes |first1=Chris |title=Years before independence talk someone had foresight to standardize the Kurdish flag |url=https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/210720171 |website=Rudaw |date=21 July 2017}}</ref> File:Flag of the Republic of Mahabad.svg|Flag adopted by the Republic of Mahabad in the mid-forties.<ref name="rûdaw" /> File:Flag of Kurdistan.svg|The third and current version of the flag, which was adopted by the Kurdistan Region in 1992<ref name="rûdaw" /> It is also used by the national Kurdish parties in Iran,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goran |first1=Baxtiyar |title=PAK leader: Kurds only have one problem |url=https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/d39e4dd6-907b-4d42-893a-03f0464a00b2/pak-leader--kurds-have-only-one-problem |website=Kurdistan 24 |date=12 January 2016}}</ref> Turkey,<ref>{{cite web |title=Rafet Şahin ölümünün 1. Yılında HAK-PAR İstanbul İl Binasında anıldı |url=https://www.hakpar.org.tr/root/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1877:rafet-sahin-olumunun-1-yilinda-hak-par-istanbul-il-binasinda-anildi&catid=45:il-haberleri&lang=en |website=hakpar.org.tr |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200710182407/https://www.hakpar.org.tr/root/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1877:rafet-sahin-olumunun-1-yilinda-hak-par-istanbul-il-binasinda-anildi&catid=45:il-haberleri&lang=en|archive-date = 2020-07-10|language=tr}}</ref> and Syria.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Arafat |first1=Hisham |title=ENKS confirms representation of Kurds in Geneva |url=https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/980168cf-d816-44c8-a600-4d7b51b905df/enks-confirms-representation-of-kurds-in-geneva |website=Kurdistan 24 |date=31 January 2016}}</ref> File:Flag of Iraq (1959–1963).svg|The flag of Iraq from 1959-1963 included The Kurdish Sun as well as Pan-Arab colors, to promote unity and Iraqi nationalism File:Yezidi Flag.svg|The Yazidi Movement for Reform and Progress is a Yazidi political party in Iraq. File:Êzîdxan Protection Force.svg|The flag of the Ezidxan Protection Force, also known as the Sinjar alliance was originally created in October 2015 to protect the Yezidi community from ISIL attacks.<ref>https://anfkurdi.com/kurdistan/li-sengale-fermandariya-hevbes-hat-avakirin-49826</ref> </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Kurdish nationalist symbols Category:Cultural history of Kurdistan
{{Kurdistan-stub}}