Diversity protection and Defending Minorities Team (i.e. the Peacemakers) held an extensive meeting with Mr. Raad Jabbar al-Khamisi, Baghdad Provincial Council Director. Members of the team discussed several issues related to the status of minority groups in Baghdad City, and the level of respecting the freedom of faith and conscience as well as the possible methods of protecting diversity in Iraq. The team launched an advocacy campaign to “Enhance Peaceful Coexistence and Accepting the Other” from the HQ of the Provincial Council in Baghdad aiming to protect diversity as being a source of power to Iraq. Mr. al-Khamisi received some copies of the booklet that introduces the campaign developed by the team to be distributed nationwide. This booklet includes a brief definition of all components of Iraqi people, the basics of their cultural attributes, and gives accurate information on the minority groups which generally constitute the population of this country. On his turn, Mr. al-Khamisi focused on the importance of children at the primary school level and how important it is to focus on them to develop the spirit of citizenship and respect of the other. He pointed out that the civil society should also play its role in activating the educational supervision in matters of respecting diversity. It is worth stating that Peacemakers Team includes a group of volunteers from different ethnicities, religions and sects, and it is established by MASARAT Institution for Cultural and Media Development to work for protecting diversity and defending minorities and respecting the freedom of faith and conscience.
