Delegation der University of Duhok, Irak, zu Gast an der JLU – Kooperationsprojekt zur Friedensforschung
"Peace in Complex Times"
Delegation of the University of Duhok, Iraq, guest at the JLU - cooperation project for peace research
#117 • July 27, 2022
What role do local actors play in peacekeeping? Do approaches to peacekeeping through education and science diplomacy work? What are the consequences of migration? These questions were the focus of a joint conference on "Peace in Complex Times" by researchers from Germany, from the MENA region ("Middle East and North Africa" / Near East and North Africa), from Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, who took place in mid-July at the Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU). Geopolitical conditions also played an important role in the technical discussions at the three-day conference.
A group of eleven professors and doctoral students from the University of Duhok, Iraq, were guests at the JLU from July 11 to 19, 2022 to hold the joint conference. The host was Prof. Dr. Stefan Peters, head of a cooperation project on peace research and professor for peace research at JLU. The cooperation in the project "Peace teaching and learning peace: international - interdisciplinary - innovative" is funded by the DAAD (funding line for university cooperation with Iraq). The international conference was organized by the Dean of Faculty 01 – Law, Prof. Dr. Bernhard Kretschmer, opened.
"Especially in the current times, the various crisis and conflict regions of the world must not be lost sight of," emphasized peace researcher Prof. Peters. "The conference made it clear what difficult challenges peace is facing in Iraq, but also showed hopeful approaches to promoting stabilization and peace." His Iraqi colleague Prof. Dr. Jotyar Sedeeq, project manager at the University of Duhok and director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies, thanked the DAAD and the JLU for their support and emphasized the importance of the academic bridges. "I hope that after the successful start, the cooperation will be expanded and strengthened, especially in the field of peace education." Coordinator Dima Mahjoub, also at JLU,
After the conference there was an excursion to Weimar and Berlin. Within this framework, content such as dealing with the violent past was deepened using practical examples. The excursion also enabled informal talks and the expansion of networks.
Prof. Omran Omer Ali, Professor in International Relations at the University of Duhok, emphasized the importance of the delegation for expanding the scientific networks: "It was an excellent opportunity to expand our networks, ideas, scientific approaches and proposed solutions for the support of the To exchange peace.” The visit to the Buchenwald memorial made a special impression on the guests. "We know this part of German history from the literature, but here we understood it at the scene of the crimes," said Prof. Haveen Abdulmajeed, who works as a professor at the University of Duhok and is involved in many projects on the topics of youth, gender and peace committed.
The cooperation project will run until the end of 2023. A return visit by a JLU delegation to the University of Duhok is planned for December 2022.
https://www.uni-giessen.de/ueber-uns/pressestelle/pm/pm117-22friedensforschung_irak