Speaker Dr. Rewaz Faiq and United States Institute of Peace (USIP) discuss working together on pluralism and acceptance

Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Dr. Rewaz Faiq on 7 November 2022 welcomed Sarhang Hamasaeed, Director of Middle East Programmes of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), and his delegation.

Speaker Faiq and Mr. Hamasaeed discussed the state of human rights, coexistence and peace. The Speaker pointed to the various threats and challenges to peace and coexistence, pluralism, and the rights of the different ethnic and religious communities.

Dr. Faiq also stressed the need for legislation on acceptance and combatting hate culture, and she asked USIP to assist the Kurdistan Parliament using its expertise in this field.

Mr. Hamasaeed gave an overview of USIP’s history and their work in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, such as USIP's work in 2014 with the ministries of education of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq on pluralism and coexistence, and how to incorporate this subject into the school curriculum.

Speaker Faiq and Mr. Hamasaeed agreed on working together and sharing knowledge and expertise on building and protecting peace, coexistence and pluralism.