Ms. Zahraa Amouri Sahib Tawij, a member of the UNESCO Chair at the University of Kufa, participated with a scholarly paper in the scientific conference entitled “Enhancing the Role of Islamic, Social, and Human Studies in Building Society,” organized by the College of Islamic Sciences at Salahaddin University–Erbil, in collaboration with the University of Iraq and the Iraqi Association of Qur’anic Sciences.

Her contribution, entitled “The Educational Dimension of Good Speech in the Holy Qur’an and Its Impact on Refining Social Conduct,” was submitted to the conference’s Scientific Committee for academic evaluation and subsequently approved for presentation and publication in the official conference proceedings.

The study examined the educational dimension of good speech as articulated in the Holy Qur’an and its role in cultivating sound social conduct and fostering positive human relationships. It explored the educational values and guidance embedded within Qur’anic discourse, highlighting their contribution to establishing constructive modes of communication and strengthening mutual respect, social cohesion, and harmonious relations among members of society.

This participation reflects the UNESCO Chair at the University of Kufa’s continued commitment to strengthening the scholarly and research engagement of its members and supporting their participation in academic conferences and intellectual forums. Such efforts contribute to the exchange of knowledge and expertise while fostering meaningful collaboration among universities and scholarly and research institutions.

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Held at 8:00 p.m., the symposium featured a lecture delivered by Dr. Mohammed Faqih, Executive Director of the Institute for International Studies in Beirut. The lecture examined the nature of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and its grave repercussions for international, regional, and local peace and stability.

Particular emphasis was placed on negotiation and religious and political dialogue, alongside diplomacy, as essential pillars for achieving peace and shielding the region from further cycles of war and destruction. The lecture also highlighted the vital role of Arab and Muslim communities in the West in conveying messages of peace and fostering channels of dialogue with rational and peace-oriented actors who reject conflict and violence in the region and across the world.

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The ceremony, attended by a distinguished gathering of scholars from the Najaf seminary and universities, as well as researchers and those with an interest in the scholarly heritage, featured remarks by Hassan Al-Sarraaf on the newly published work: Bayān al-Adyān (An Account of Religions) by Abu al-Maʿālī al-Balkhī, who died sometime after 485 AH.

Al-Sarraaf noted that the work is regarded as the earliest extant independent Persian text devoted to the study of religious communities, sects, and doctrines (al-milal wa al-niḥal), and that it is being translated into Arabic for the first time. He further explained that Bayān al-Adyān constitutes a precious historical record, documenting the beliefs of peoples prior to Islam and during the early Islamic centuries. It also predates al-Shahrastānī’s renowned Kitāb al-Milal wa al-Niḥal by thirty-six years.

In his address, Hassan Al-Sarraaf emphasized:

“Historical documentation of the nature of religious beliefs constitutes an important undertaking, given the abundance of its scholarly and intellectual benefits for understanding the course of the development of human thought and for discerning the cultural and civilizational foundations of peoples. It likewise contributes to building bridges of constructive dialogue, strengthening the values of peaceful coexistence, and approaching the points of convergence and divergence among diverse faith traditions with objectivity and scholarly rigor.

Beyond its intellectual significance, such documentation carries tangible social benefits: it can foster coexistence and diminish intolerance by cultivating a deeper understanding of the beliefs of others and the place those beliefs occupy in the hearts and lives of their adherents. It also activates dialogue as a means of facilitating shared intellectual exchange among the diverse cultures of the contemporary world.

This, beyond doubt, embodies the path of moderation and tolerance, and the call to fraternity, championed by the Hawza of Najaf al-Ashraf and its highest religious authority.”

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Dr. Alaa Shatnan, Director of the UNESCO Chair at the University of Kufa, participated in the international seminar entitled:

Futures Dialogues
Culture of Peace (Part II)
Shared Waters, Shared Futures:
Building a Culture of Peace in Africa through Water Cooperation and
Education

The seminar was held on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, and was convened by UNESCO through its Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) and the Division of Water Sciences, bringing together a distinguished assembly of senior officials, eminent experts, and renowned international and African scholars.

The seminar underscored the pivotal significance of transboundary water management and water education as strategic instruments for conflict prevention, the facilitation of mediation, and the promotion of continental stability. These deliberations were conducted in preparation for the:

Biennale of Luanda – Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

scheduled to be held in Angola in October 2026, and in alignment with the African Union’s 2026 theme on water sustainability and sanitation.

The event featured a series of high-level panel discussions examining mechanisms for strengthening water governance and harnessing African knowledge, expertise, and capacities to formulate sustainable policies. It further highlighted the indispensable role of women and youth in the stewardship of shared water resources.

The recommendations emerging from these dialogues are set to be submitted as principal contributions to the Biennale of Luanda, as well as to the forthcoming international water conferences to be convened in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.

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The dialogue sought to illuminate the rich philosophical and epistemological heritage of the African continent while exploring pathways for integrating indigenous African knowledge systems into comprehensive responses to pressing global challenges, including climate change, water scarcity, and armed conflicts. In doing so, the discussions advocated moving beyond conventional top-down paradigms that have increasingly proven inadequate in addressing the complexity of contemporary crises.

Throughout the sessions, participants examined seminal African philosophical frameworks such as Ubuntu and Ujamaa, as well as participatory governance traditions exemplified by the Palaver assemblies. Deliberations also highlighted indigenous water governance practices across the Sahel region as an effective mechanism for conflict resolution, equitable resource management, and the advancement of epistemic justice.

The dialogue concluded with the adoption of a forward-looking approach aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, reaffirming a shared commitment to harnessing Africa’s indigenous knowledge systems as indispensable global assets for fostering environmental sustainability and cultivating enduring peace both across the African continent and beyond. UNESCO officials emphasized that local African knowledge traditions constitute an essential pillar in shaping more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable futures for humanity.

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The seminar examined the Iraqi people’s experience in responding to the political, economic, and social transformations that unfolded during the Ottoman and British occupations, developments that gave rise to a series of popular uprisings, most notably the 1920 Revolution, which was launched in response to a religious decree (fatwa) calling for resistance against the British occupation.

The session further highlighted the significance of religious experiences grounded in openness and reconciliation with others as a means of fostering peaceful coexistence and strengthening national unity in the face of external challenges. This participation reflects the UNESCO Chair’s enduring commitment to engaging with knowledge institutions dedicated to the study of societal peace by advancing opportunities for dialogue, mutual understanding, and harmonious coexistence among all components of society.

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The meeting brought together more than 85 UNESCO Chairholders and members of the University Twinning and Networking Programme (UNITWIN) from across the globe whose research focuses on culture and emergency situations. The discussions centered on UNESCO’s emergency action plans for the protection and safeguarding of cultural heritage in times of crisis.

The meeting also sought to strengthen collaboration between members of the UNESCO Chairs Programme/UNITWIN Network and the Emergency Operations and Programmes Unit. Participants were introduced to the Unit’s strategic action plan and to a range of recently developed tools and technologies, including virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and satellite-based monitoring, all designed to enhance emergency preparedness and cultural heritage protection.

Furthermore, the gathering explored practical avenues for future cooperation while providing UNESCO Chairholders with an opportunity to present their expertise, exchange experiences, and engage in dialogue on emerging methodologies and innovative approaches to addressing cultural emergencies.

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The seminar brought together a distinguished gathering of UNESCO officials, directors of university UNESCO Chairs, and eminent international researchers.

The seminar sought to critically examine conventional temporal frameworks and to explore how pluralistic and decolonial perspectives on time might unlock broader horizons for social organisation, while addressing the profound gap between short-term political cycles and the long-range environmental and social challenges of our age.

The programme featured specialised discussion sessions devoted to the governance of time and the forging of new research agendas — pursued through expanding communities’ capacity to envision a manifold temporal future and to design equitable temporal infrastructures that uphold plurality and sustain long-term possibility. The seminar also explored the prospect of developing collaborative research networks in preparation for World Futures Day 2026.

The seminar drew to a close with an open dialogue and a review of for the coming steps toward cultivating shared research networks.

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On the occasion of the International Day for the Dialogue of Civilizations, the UNESCO Chair for the Development of Interreligious Dialogue Studies, in collaboration with the Kufa Studies Center, convened an academic symposium entitled “The Dialogue of Civilizations and Its Role in Fostering Opportunities for Peace.” The event was held on the morning of Monday, the fifteenth of June, 2026, and was graced by a distinguished gathering of professors, academics, and members of both the Chair and the Center.

The symposium featured two scholarly lectures:

The First Lecture was delivered by Dr. Ra’id Ubais, Member of the UNESCO Chair, under the title “The Significance of the International Day for the Dialogue of Civilizations in Strengthening Coexistence Among Peoples.” In his address, Dr. Ubais explored the role of international commemorative days in advancing global peace and combating racism, drawing upon United Nations General Assembly Resolution No. 76/468, while surveying the initiatives mounted in response to the ideology of the so-called “Clash of Civilizations.”

The Second Lecture was presented by Assistant Professor Dr. As’ad Abd al-Razzaq, of the Faculty of Jurisprudence, bearing the title “Civilizational Dialogue in the Islamic Faith.” The lecturer illuminated the Islamic foundations of dialogue as an instrument for the resolution of disputes and the mending of fractures within the human community. He affirmed that the unification of the Muslim word constitutes a foundational departure point toward a constructive global dialogue — one that honours the convictions of all peoples and sustains an enduring and principled peace.

The symposium was met with broad scholarly and cultural engagement, manifested in the wealth of interventions and searching questions raised by those in attendance. The proceedings drew to a close with a ceremony honouring the two lecturers, who were presented with certificates of appreciation by the Director of the Kufa Studies Center, in recognition of their devoted efforts in spreading a spirit of learning rooted in dialogue, exchange, and the cross-pollination of cultures.

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The Chair’s participation took the form of a research paper delivered by its esteemed member, Dr. Hassan Zuhair, during the sixth session of the conference’s proceedings—a paper bearing the title: “Education and Pedagogy through the Lens of Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr: Toward the Crystallization of a National Educational Policy for the Forging of a Worldview among the Rising Generations and Youth.” Therein, the speaker affirmed that Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, through the luminous edifice of his thought, embodies a weighty pillar of the Iraqi national-Islamic discourse that stands in defiance of tyrannical and despotic orders—and that his intellectual legacy in the domain of education and pedagogy is fit to serve as the very seed-kernel from which an educational policy might spring, one capable of distilling a comprehensive worldview (Worldview). This, he explained, may be drawn from such constituent themes as “the inquiry into existence within Sayyid al-Sadr’s writings, together with the inquiry into human cognition, the inquiry into the laws governing history and humanity’s role within its unfolding movement, and the inquiry into the relationship between the individual and society—crowned by the theory of man’s vicegerency and entrusted stewardship.”

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