The Peace Forums in Anbar (Hit, Ramadi and Falluja), working within the framework of the Iraqi Social Forum and in collaboration with the Humat Dijla, recently held a training workshop on creating new water protectors and activating environmental advocacy movements in the three cities. 17 activists in the field of environment and water from local forums participated in the workshop, in which participants received a range of tools and mechanisms to enhance their experience in building targeted and successful campaigns, over the two days of 24-25 June in Hit, Anbar.

The first day of the workshop included talking about the rehabilitation of the Humat Al-Furat Water Protectors team in Anbar and the mechanisms of the team’s work within the local forums. The first day was divided into two axes. The first discussed the situation of water in Iraq in general and the water challenges facing it. The second divided trainees into groups based on cities. These groups identified and reviewed the most important challenges facing the reality of water in their cities.

The second day focused on how to activate environmental movements in the three cities as they witness many problems and abuses that harm the environment and people’s lives. Experiences were exchanged about planning campaigns and how to manage them and follow them. A mechanism to identify and calculate priority of problems was reviewed. A discussion followed of the general problems encountered by the groups of work already in progress. The trainers then explained the mechanism of coordination of the teams (the form of the link to the local forum, the link with Humat Dijlah, the link with the international Save the Tigris and the Iraqi marshes campaign and the opportunities offered by the campaign to protect the Euphrates).

Colleagues Salman Khairallah and Huda of Humat Dijlah have helped train the participants and provide them with the tools and expertise to start their activities and work on their effectiveness. At the end of the training, Salman and Huda distributed certificates of participation to the participants.

The Anbar Peace Forum (Hit-Ramadi-Fallujah) works in cooperation with the Information Center for Research and Development, the Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative and the Un Ponte Per Italian Organization within the space of the Iraqi Social Forum.

Iraqi Social Forum