Catholic University in Erbil and Koya University hold international conference with aim of promoting coexistence

The Catholic University in Erbil, in collaboration with Koya University, on Wednesday organized an international conference entitled “Religion and Social Peace: Challenges and Prospects” with the aim of achieving social peace and promoting coexistence.

Iraq has suffered from deteriorating political conditions as a result of conflicts, wars, and the destruction and genocide left by ISIS against some minorities.

In this context, the Catholic University of Erbil, in collaboration with the University of Koya, organized an international conference entitled “Religion and Social Peace: Challenges and Prospects” with the aim of achieving social peace and promoting coexistence.

A group of speakers, academic researchers, professionals, Muslim and Christian clerics and representatives of all religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq participated in the conference.

The conference stressed the need to spread a culture of coexistence and social peace among the population at the level of thought and work, by rebuilding the educational process, establishing the foundations for accepting the other in the curriculum, and teaching children a new type of coexistence based on acceptance of the other, regardless of color, race or religion.

Samer Soresh Youhanna al-Raheb, General President of the Chaldean Antonian Hermetic Order, said that “Academic bodies must assume their role in defining and spreading awareness of the importance of education in creating a healthy society capable of self-care, because education is the basis for good citizenship that serves the country.”

He stressed that Iraq, “needs to stand on its feet. This can be done through peaceful coexistence between communities and the right and proper education on humanitarian principles.”

“The important goal of the conference is to bring new matters, highlight the mistakes that societies committed in the past, correct them, and develop a program and plan for the new generation to follow,” said Omar Hassan Saeed, a professor of jurisprudence at the University of Koya.