Karbala Hosts First Roundtable Forum on Peaceful Coexistence, National Dialogue and Reconciliation

Following the roundtable discussions on social cohesion between Iraq’s social and political actors held in Baghdad on November 26 and 27 of last year, the Representative of the United Nations for Iraq, Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, chaired in Karbala the first of a series of roundtable forums with civil society, community, tribal and religious leaders and scholars from Karbala, Najaf and Babylon provinces.

Following the roundtable discussions on social cohesion between Iraq’s social and political actors held in Baghdad on November 26 and 27 of last year, the Representative of the United Nations for Iraq, Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, chaired in Karbala the first of a series of roundtable forums with civil society, community, tribal and religious leaders and scholars from Karbala, Najaf and Babylon provinces.

 Mladenov said at the conclusion of the forum that the collective calls of participants for the promotion of peaceful co-existence, national dialogue and reconciliation are encouraging”, adding that such support will boost the Government’s efforts to expedite its reform program and reconciliation efforts.

Sheikh Murtadha Ma’ash, head of Alnabaa’ Cultural and Media Institution, said that the national reconciliation could only be achieved throughout spreading the culture of coexistence and non-violence.

The second roundtable is scheduled to take place in Basra during the first week of February.