A new social cohesion project has just been launched in the Nineveh Plain: “Maan Lil-Salam” (Social Cohesion through Sociocultural and Educational Activities for Youth in Hamdanya and Tilkeif Districts), is part of the Nineveh Return Program, financed by BMZ through Maleteser International and will be active for the next two years.

The main aim of this two-year project is to strengthen social cohesion, intercultural and cooperation dialogue between the different communities that are returning home to the Nineveh Plain after its liberation from Daesh, by investing in the role of young men and women as a way to prevent further tension and conflict.

The primary project sites are the Districts of Hamdanya and Tilkelf, where Peace Education initiatives will involve male and female public school teachers, parents, representatives of the local Education Directorate as well as members of the local communities, and boys and girls.

The programme includes the creation of 4 Youth Centres which will be open to all the communities, in buildings which will be rebuilt specifically for this purpose. Each Centre will host activities, workshops and training courses on issues relating to non-formal education, Peace Education, sport and art against violence, knowledge and conservation of the community’s cultural heritage, and inter-religious dialogue. There will also be Peace Education training for trainers (TOT) courses, for representatives of the Nineveh Directorate of Education (DOE) and public school teachers, with 60 hours of training in Peace Education and the development of coping strategies.