National Consultative Session on Citizenship and Social Contract in Iraq

October 22, 2023

Mr. Khaled Mahmood Agha, Teaching Staff Member at the College of Arts / University of Mosul discussing the Components of national identity in a multicultural society during the second session titled (National memory, identity, and citizenship that embraces diversity)

With the support of the United Nations Development Programme, a consultative session was held at the Scientific and Literary Forum at the University of Mosul on (October 12, 2023) to continue national discussions on the topics of citizenship and the social contract, which are pivotal topics in the upcoming National Human Development Report.

Mr. Khaled Mahmood Agha, Teaching Staff Member at the College of Arts / University of Mosul discussing the Components of national identity in a multicultural society during the second session titled (National memory, identity, and citizenship that embraces diversity)

Thanks to the collaborative effort between the Ministry of Planning and the University of Mosul, the Assistant President of the University welcomed the presence of more than 164 participants, representing various sectors of the Iraqi government, civil society organizations, university professors, as well as clerics and representatives of ethnic and religious minorities in Mosul, among them is Father (Raed Adel Kallo), head of the Syriac Catholic churches in Mosul.

Father Raed Adel Kallo, President of the Syriac Catholic churches of Mosul, during the third session: Towards a social contract that guarantees rights, stimulates citizenship, and achieves human security.

The discussions focused on several vital points: emphasizing the importance of consultations and determining national directions for drafting human development reports, understanding local history and culture, analyzing the components of national identity and building national memory to enhance communication and belonging, discussing achieving a social contract that guarantees the rights of citizens and contributes to human security, and reviewing the role of civil society institutions in promoting the concept of citizenship and enhancing understanding between individuals. This session represents an important step in Iraq's journey towards sustainable and comprehensive development, uniting diverse voices and opinions for the well-being of the nation.