ALTAEYUSH (التعايش) in Arabic it means coexistence between different cultures and religions in "respect for others"
Location of implementation: Nineveh Governorate, Hamdaniya District
Leader: Focsiv
Donor: AICS
Partner of FOCSIV:
- Associazione Francesco Realmonte Onlus
- Centro Laici Italiani per le Missioni CELIM
- Cooperazione Paesi Emergenti COPE
- Ente Nazionale Giuseppini del Murialdo ENGIM
- Humanitarian Nineveh Relief Organization
- Sapan Organization for Agriculture Extension and Development
The project, which will last 24 months, has the general objective of “Contributing to reducing inequalities and discriminatory practices related to religion, sex, age, disability and economic conditions towards the most vulnerable people, in particular Christian minorities, in the Governorate of Nineveh”.
The partnership, after a careful needs assessment carried out with a continuous comparison with the communities and the local religious and political authorities and by virtue of the many years of experience of the proposing entity in Iraq, has detected a great ethnic, religious and cultural diversity among the communities settled in the territories of intervention. The fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003 and the takeover of the area by the Islamic State in 2014 have caused not only the complete destruction of all infrastructure, but also a deep sense of insecurity and unresolved conflict at a political, economic, social and religious level and a migratory flow of religious minorities, especially Christians, abroad and internally towards Iraqi Kurdistan.
All the activities of this initiative are aimed at reducing vulnerabilities and fighting inequalities, through the dissemination of a message of integration and interconnection between different communities.
The creation of a community cultural center in Qaraqosh is planned, which represents a meeting and exchange place with a view to strengthening the social cohesion of the local population and preventing future conflicts. The center implements participation, active citizenship and community-based social assistance and protection services (training of trainers and local operators, artistic workshops and creative-expressive workshops), aimed at both sexes, giving priority to women, young people, minors and people with physical or psychological disabilities and who have suffered post-traumatic stress.
The productive capacities of families in the agri-food sector are supported, through the establishment of a cooperative that will contribute to the creation of decent jobs, the promotion of agriculture that is attentive to sustainable energy supply,
Role of COPE
COPE, through its research center OfficinaSociale will contribute to the training and support of local staff for the development of Community Maps useful tools for intercultural, interreligious and intergenerational dialogue.
