Sami Rahman Park

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.

References

1. [http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/message.jspa?messageID=13470605]

2. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1030078.ece]

3. [http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:thwhDahzvnsJ:www.kurdishglobe.net/servlet/WritePDFServlet%3FID%3D50+%22sami+rahman+park%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=uk/]

4. [http://www.salahsports.com/news.php]

5. [http://www.easier.com/view/Travel/Hotels/article-138799.html]