Sami Rahman Park

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Sami Rahman Park is situated in Erbil, in the Kurdish region of Northern Iraq. It is centred around grid reference: 36°11'28.50"N 43°59'5.19"E. The park itself is several hectares and contains a lake, rose garden and the Martyrs Monument as well as a restaurant and market. The site was formerly the location of a detention centre from Saddam Hussain's regime.^[1]

The park is named after Sami Abdul Rahman, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government^[2] who was killed in a suicide bombing on 1 February 2004, aged 71.

The park was the location for the First Erbil Freedom Day Community Run on 9 April 2007^[3] organised by the Salah Rahman Sports Foundation, which has since become an annual event.^[4]

Rotana Hotels has recently announced the building of a new five star hotel on the edge of the park^[5]. It is yet to be confirmed that 205 guests all sharing the name Sami Rahman will be invited to the Grand Opening.