April 28, Mosul – It was a deeply inspiring and productive first day at the Nināwa Forum on “Interreligious Dialogue for Peace and Living Together”, organized by the University of Mosul and the Religion & Security Council (RSC) with the support of KAICIID Dialogue Centre.
The event was opened with introductory remarks by Prof. Dr. Wahid Mahmoud Al-Ibrahimi, President of the University of Mosul; RSC Chairman Emiliano Stornelli, KAICIID Fellow; RSC Senior Fellow and KAICIID Fellow, Ms. Shireen Mashaqba. The vision and the objectives of the Nināwa Forum were also outlined by Dr. Raqeeb Muhammad Jassim Al-Hamawi, Professor of Human Rights Law and Director of the UNESCO Chair at the University of Mosul.
The proceedings then featured a keynote speech by H.E. Amb. Thomas Seiler, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Iraq.
The first session, titled “Building peace and advancing cooperation for the common good: the role of religious leaders”, included as speakers Sheikh Rami Abadi, Director of the General Directorate of Combating Intellectual Terrorism in Nineveh, Popular Mobilization Forces; Rev. Fr. Raed Adel, Head of the Syriac Catholic Churches in Mosul; Mr. Hadi Babasheikh, Former Head of Office, Yazidi Spiritual Leader; Sheikh Hassan Ali Saleh Al-Taie, Representative of the “Marja’iyya” Supreme Religious Authority in Nineveh. The session was coordinated by Sheikh Abdulghaffar S. Khourshid, Member of the Social Reconciliation Authority, Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs, Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, and a KAICIID Fellow.
The second session on “The engagement of security actors in ensuring a stable environment for coexistence and dialogue”, featured representatives from the Nineveh Police Command, the Command of the Popular Mobilization Forces Operations in Nineveh, and the National Security Agency in Nineveh. The session was coordinated by Prof. Dr. Hashim Abdulrazzaq, Professor of Modern History at the College of Arts, University of Mosul, and a KAICIID Fellow.
Each session was followed by open discussions. Moreover, meetings and interviews took place alongside the proceedings.
The first day of the Nināwa Forum ended with special visits to the Great Mosque of Al-Nouri and the Al-Tahera Church. Visits to the Lalish Temple and the Mosul Heritage Foundation will be carried out as well.
The second day of the Nināwa Forum, scheduled on April 29, will feature new dialogue sessions and the launch of the “Declaration for Peace, Dialogue, and Coexistence in Nineveh”.
