As part of its efforts to promote a culture of peaceful coexistence among the components of Iraqi society, Al-Jeel Organization for Human Development organized the second workshop within its initiative, titled "The Rights of Religions and Ethnicities in the Iraqi Constitution and International Laws and Charters." The workshop took place on October 16, 2024, and focused on providing a detailed explanation of the rights of religions and ethnicities in the Iraqi constitution, as well as international laws and charters such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966.
The workshop was not limited to presenting scientific materials; it was also an opportunity for participants to express and discuss their views, with many showing great interest in the issue of peaceful coexistence. Several participants pointed out that many of the negative issues facing society stem from a lack of awareness in some Iraqi families, highlighting the need to focus on family education on how to coexist peacefully with others. They also expressed their disappointment regarding the failure to implement the constitution in a manner that guarantees the protection of the rights of religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq, emphasizing that this gap requires immediate attention.
Among the ideas proposed during the workshop was the suggestion to create collective projects that bring together individuals from different religions and ethnicities to participate in national and religious events, aimed at fostering a spirit of love and harmony among all. Some voices also called for the enhancement of human values within Iraqi society and for promoting respect in a way that ensures neutrality towards different components and respects everyone's rights.
The workshop was successful in achieving its objectives, as it managed to raise awareness about social cohesion and rights, clarify the laws that guarantee these rights, and create an interactive dialogue environment that demonstrated participants' interest in these issues. Participants' engagement was significant, with most voices affirming the need to expand the project to include raising awareness among families and students in schools and universities about rejecting hatred and extremism, and the necessity of focusing on moderate religious discourse that promotes values of peace and love among all components of society.
It is worth mentioning that this activity was organized by the Al-Jeel Organization for Human Development in partnership with Peace and Freedom Organization and under the Participatory Grant-Making in JISRA (PGM in JISRA).
