Christians of Kurdistan exhibition

31st October 2013

Royal Geographical Society, London

I curated an exhibition of historical photography relating to the Christian community of Kurdistan, taken in the 1940s by British photographer Anthony Kersting. The exhibition was one of a series of events organised by the charity Gulan to celebrate the religious minorities of Kurdistan.

The origins of Christianity in Iraq go back to the apostolic age, and it has been a significant cultural and religious force from then until today. For most of this time Christians and Muslims have lived together in mutual respect and harmony. In recent years, however, Christians in the region have found themselves under threat and they have sought safe refuge in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Anthony Kersting’s archive is held by the Courtauld Institute of Art, London.