The
Kurdistan Center for International Law (KCIL), in collaboration with Stefanos
Alliance International within the project framework of Increasing the Right to Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) through Empowering the Agents of Change in the KRI, held a fruitful
meeting on July 6, 2024, in Sulaymaniyah province. The meeting was attended by
representatives of the Slemani court, religious communities, and academic and
legal researchers to review and discuss the contents of the manual regarding
FoRB in the Kurdish language. It is worth mentioning that within the framework
of this project, for more than six months, both researchers and experts,
including Dr. Assos Brakhas (University Professor) and Dastan Abdulrahman
(Director of Media and Relations in the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs),
have been writing and preparing this manual to promote FoRB material which is
contextualized with the current status of the KRI. During this meeting,
participants expressed their views from their own perspectives to enrich the
content of the manual and ensure it reflects the current moment. Furthermore,
alongside the multidimensional dialogues on the main topic of the meeting, new
insights and comments were presented on the social and legal status of
minorities for consideration within the project activities. Interestingly, this
manual will be the basis for preparing two series of workshops for lawyers,
representatives of religious communities, activists, and parliamentary advisors
in Sulaimani and Erbil provinces to introduce them to the principles of FoRB
and synthesize the project stakeholders’ recommendations. These recommendations
will then be presented to the Kurdistan Parliament at the final stage to
utilize them as a stepping stone to create a conducive environment for
enshrining the FoRB principles in the KRI.