Participants in the Dialogue and Knowing the Other Camp held an extensive discussion session with a group of intellectuals, writers, and artists from Nasiriyah. The discussions focused on the role of intellectuals and writers in promoting dialogue among followers of different religions.
The participants, in the camp organized by Masarat Foundation for Cultural and Media Development in cooperation with KAICIID and the House of Coexistence, discussed the state of dialogue in the city, opportunities for successful dialogue, and the possibility of transferring this experience to other cities in Iraq.
Mr. Ali Al-Shiyal, Head of the Union of Writers and Authors – Thi Qar branch, welcomed the camp delegation of “Knights of Dialogue” and provided a detailed explanation of the role of writers and intellectuals in strengthening dialogue.
The session was attended by Dr. Yasser Al-Barak, an academic at the College of Media, writer and theater director Ammar Saeed, critic Ali Shbeeb Ali Zgheer, and actor Mohammad Khreish.
At the end of the meeting, the youth from Sinjar presented their hosts with a stone from Mount Sinjar as a souvenir of the meeting and as an expression of their pride in the mountain, which symbolizes Yazidi resilience and attachment to their land, country, and identity.
Mr. Ali Al-Shiyal also presented the participants with a model of the Ziggurat of Ur, expressing his appreciation for their visit.
It is worth noting that the “With Dialogue, We Remain and Rise” camp started in Baghdad with the participation of youth from Sinjar, then joined by Baghdad youth in its first stage, followed by Basra, where Basra youth joined the team, and has now reached Thi Qar. The camp will soon continue its tour to other Iraqi cities in a program aimed at promoting dialogue as a means to build peace among followers of different religions and combat hate speech.
