Iraq: “Iraqi Youth: Pioneers for Dialogue and Stability” workshop held in Najaf [EN/AR/KU]
Najaf, Iraq, 15 July 2019 - Under the theme “Iraqi Youth: Pioneers for Dialogue and Stability”, a three-day workshop took place in Najaf Governorate from 11th to 13th July 2019. This was the fifth in a series of workshops taking place across Iraq throughout 2019 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.
During the workshop, a group of twenty-two young women and men discussed a number of challenges identified as important by youth in Najaf Governorate. These included youth unemployment, the integrity of recruitment processes and how to foster job creation within the private sector; political participation and limited access to decision-makers by youth; greater local authority support for youth voluntary work; provision of services, particularly water and waste management; as well as youth freedoms and rights within the Governorate.
On the second day, a session was held with the Governor of Najaf, Mr. Louay al-Yasiri, who engaged in an open dialogue with the participants on these issues.
On the third and final day, an interactive session was held with a number of local politicians in the presence of the United Nations Deputy Special Representative for Iraq, Ms. Alice Walpole, who encouraged participants to speak their mind and contribute their ideas on how to overcome the challenges facing the country. “We will listen to them. Empowering young people, supporting them, and ensuring they can fulfil their potential is important in every society. But beyond this, if we are to create a more peaceful, sustainable and prosperous Iraq, we need young Iraqis to lead,” she said.
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 and Karbala.
For more information, please contact: Mr Khalid Dahab, Deputy Director of Public Information/Deputy Spokesperson
United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, Phone: +964 790 194 0146, Email: Dahab@un.orgDahab@un.org
or the UNAMI Public Information Office: unami-information@un.org
