Education union members in Kurdistan’s Iraqi region have shown their willingness, through a joint teachers’ and students’ art and handicraft exhibition, to work together towards building peace and understanding across their region and country.
An innovative art and craft exhibition by education union members in Kurdistan promises to have far-reaching consequences for peace in the region. The department of arts and handcrafting of Kurdistan’s Education Ministry, with the help of Education International’s affiliates, the Iraq Teacher’s Association (ITU) and the Kurdistan Teacher’s Union (KTU), opened an exhibition of teachers’ and students’ drawings and handicraft on 4 February in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan’s Iraqi region. The department of arts and handcrafting from education ministries in Kirkuk, Baghdad and Diwanyah also participated.
Continuous collaboration
Both the KTU and ITU presidents highlighted their unions’ continuous efforts and collaboration to enhance teachers’ capacity and skills in all Iraqi areas. They also stressed the need and opportunity that education offers to highlight teachers’ and students’ talents. Participants agreed that such activities must be continued.
“These activities, beyond showing arts and imagination in handcrafting, are a great push towards bringing all of Iraq’s tribes and nations together, therefore building peace and living together,” KTU President Abdulwahed Muhammed Haje said.
He emphasised that KTU and ITU are collaborating and helping each other on “all areas serving humanity, justice and democracy in the nation”.
Education International: Inclusive education
Education International’s Shashi Bala Singh added: “I am very glad to note that KTU and ITU joined together to build peace and inclusive education.”