Erbil, 19 September 2019 - Under the theme “Iraqi Youth: Pioneers for Dialogue and Stability”, the tenth in a series of workshops was organised in Erbil Governorate in the Kurdistan Region from 12 – 14 September 2019. The workshop was organised by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), in cooperation with the Committee for Coexistence and Societal Peace in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Iraqi Al-Amal Association.
Twenty-six youth, including eleven young women, from various parts of the Governorate attended the workshop and discussed a number of issues that they identified as important to the youth in the context of their Governorate. The main themes discussed included how youth can actively participate in decision-making; empowerment of women within the Governorate; youth unemployment and ways of increasing job opportunities in the public and private sectors.
The meeting was joined on the last day by the Deputy Governor of Erbil, Mr. Tahir Abdullah, the Chairman of the Provincial Council, Mr. Ali Rasheed, the DirectorGeneral of the Youth Department, Mr. Jamal Hussain and a number of members from the Kurdistan Regional Parliament, who engaged in a frank dialogue with the participants on the raised issues.
Addressing the meeting, the Head of UNAMI’s Erbil Regional Office, Mr. Ricardo Rodriguez, said: “Reconciliation and national unity are going to feature prominently in any sustainable peaceful future. Inclusive and frank discussions must take place between communities, to address past legacies and to build a stable future for Iraq”.
The activity is in line with UNAMI’s mandate to support youth and their valuable contributions to Iraqi public life. Similar workshops were recently organised in Anbar, Babil, Basra, Karbala, Wasit, Najaf, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok and Ninawa.