Kurdish Heritage Festival

Man wearing the Flag of the YPG (People's Defense Units or People's Protection Units) as Members of the Kurdish community wearing military uniforms celebrate during the Kurdish Heritage Festival while calling for the creation of the country of Kurdistan in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on September 17, 2023. The YPG is a mainly Kurdish militant group in Syria and the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Kurdistan or Greater Kurdistan is a roughly defined geo-cultural region in West Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population. Kurdish nationalist organizations wish to create an independent nation state (Kurdistan) consisting of some or all of the areas with a Kurdish majority. The Kurds live in a territory between Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. They are considered stateless because despite having a distinct culture and a desire to create their own state, they are forced to live in the states of other nations. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images)