During the period 21–27 January 2026, the Voluntary Social Cohesion Committee of the Peace and Freedom Organization, in cooperation with the Volunteer Humanity Leaders Team, implemented an initiative entitled “Together Towards Peace.” The initiative included a series of dialogue sessions that brought together religious leaders and media professionals to assess the state of social peace and to develop practical strategies to reduce hate speech and strengthen social cohesion in Kirkuk Governorate.
In the same context, a dialogue session was held on 27 January in cooperation with the Subcommittee for Preventing Violent Extremism at the Kirkuk Governorate building. The session was attended by the First Deputy Governor of Kirkuk, Dr. Yawuz Hamid, along with several directors and representatives of government departments and divisions, in addition to a group of activists and representatives of organizations and associations.
The session featured in-depth discussions on issues of cyber extortion, as well as an analysis of the causes behind the spread of hate speech on social media and its negative impact on social peace. Participants emphasized the importance of joint action to develop practical recommendations and strategies that contribute to promoting a culture of peace and peaceful coexistence, and to strengthening the values of citizenship and mutual respect in Kirkuk Governorate.
This activity comes within the framework of the Peacebuilding and Stability in Iraq Project, implemented by the Peace and Freedom Organization in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), with support from FCDO.
