France and UNESCO partnering to promote community reconciliation and peaceful coexistence in Iraq through community radios

“Investing in balanced, conflict-sensitive media reporting, is investing in sustainable peace. When and where media work on this basis, they become one of the most powerful tools to strengthen social ties, celebrate diversity, and promote ideals of solidarity, tolerance and inclusiveness. Let me thank France, as well as the CMC, for sharing this vision and for their commitment to champion it together with UNESCO”, said UNESCO Iraq Director Louise Haxthausen.

Funded by France, and implemented by UNESCO, the project “Voices of Peace: Promoting Peaceful Coexistence in the Liberated Areas of Iraq through Community media” will support community radios in developing innovative and creative reporting on communities’ engagement in favour of coexistence, social cohesion and inclusion. The project will focus on culturally diverse regions of Iraq, which host different ethnic and religious segments of its society. These include Nineveh, Kirkuk and the 3 governorates of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, namely Erbil, Dohuk and Sulaymaniyah.

“Media and social networks have an important role to play in bringing Iraqis together, beyond their differences with a view to dialogue and sharing” stressed Ambassador Bruno Aubert, adding that therefore “we support this project with no hesitation, since it fully reflects Iraq’s priorities for stabilization, especially in relation to community-based rapprochement and reconciliation”.

Highlighting the CMC’s commitment to facilitate the implementation of the project, Dr. Ali Naser Executive Director of the Communication and Media Commission indicated that it would contribute to further reinforce joint efforts by UNESCO and the CMC to promote freedom of expression and the press in Iraq.



For more information, please contact:

Dhea Subhee, Public Information Officer

( d.subhee@unesco.org)