ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Italy on Wednesday is set to award its highest-ranking honor, the Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Italy, to Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani during a ceremony in Erbil, recognizing his role in strengthening ties between the Kurdistan Region and Italy.
The Knight of the Grand Cross, the highest rank within the Order of the Star of Italy, was presented by Italian Ambassador to Iraq Niccolo Fontana on behalf of Italian President Sergio Mattarella. It is a state honor bestowed by presidential decree on individuals who have made outstanding contributions to promoting Italy's international relations and prestige abroad.
Originally established in 1947 as the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity to honor contributors to Italy's reconstruction after World War II, the award has shifted to recognize international cooperation.
The state honor awarded on Wednesday is widely seen as recognition of President Barzani's role in advancing those longstanding bilateral ties. The award recognizes achievements across politics, diplomacy, science, culture, trade, humanitarian work, and the arts.
President Barzani joins a list of prominent international figures who have received the distinction, including former Argentine president Mauricio Macri, former Bulgarian prime minister Boyko Borissov, Hawaii Governor Josh Green, Princess Charlene of Monaco, former German politician Horst Seehofer, football manager Carlo Ancelotti, Formula One champion Fernando Alonso, singer Frank Sinatra, actress Grace Kelly, Jerusalem Patriarch Fouad Twal, South Korean conductor Myung-whun Chung, and British chef Jamie Oliver.
Recipients are selected through a multi-stage process. Candidates are first proposed by Italy's foreign minister before being reviewed by a five-member honors council that includes the head of diplomatic protocol for the presidency. The final decision is made by the Italian president.
The honor comes after more than two decades of expanding relations between Erbil and Rome.
In 2015, while serving as Kurdistan Region prime minister, President Barzani met with then-Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, after which Italy upgraded its diplomatic office in Erbil to a Consulate General, marking a significant step in bilateral relations.
President Barzani has continued to deepen ties with Italy in recent years. During a visit to Rome in April 2023, he met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who reaffirmed Italy's support for the Kurdistan Region and described its stability as essential to peace in the Middle East.
Most recently, during an official visit to Italy in May 2026, President Barzani held talks with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, and President Mattarella, who reiterated Italy's continued political and security support for the Kurdistan Region.
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