The Conference entitled “Towards a Successful Kurdish-Arab Dialogue” was held in Baghdad with the participation of numerous tribal leaders, politicians, academics and representatives of various institutions.

The Conference was held on Saturday 11 December and was led by the Academy of Democratic Politics and Thought and the Freedom Association (Komeleya Azadi).

There were panels throughout the day at the conference. Matters under discussion in these panels were Kurdish-Arab relations, the reasons for divisions between peoples, conflicts, the influence of the nation-state and the role of women in regional change.

Sêx Rehim Sedi, leader of the Sediye tribe, was the first to speak at the conference:

“Kurdish-Arab brotherhood is a very important first step. We care deeply about this conference. People from all religions and beliefs and all nations are in attendance. I condemn all nations and all mentalities that cause division between peoples,” he said.

Representatives of various beliefs, nations and groups made similar statements, underlying the importance of respect and dialogue to solve the region’s problems.

The conference ended with the approval of an 11-item final declaration:

“The Congress will recognise and work for the recognition of all identities, ideologies, nations, cultures and sects in Iraq in particular, and in the Middle East and North Africa in general. The Congress insists that the solution to all problems and conflicts in Iraq and the Middle East must be found through dialogue, not war. This also requires the project of a democratic nation-state. The Congress will work to preserve and develop the common cultural and democratic social and political values of the peoples of the region.”