University of Sulaimani Marks World Wetlands Day with Insightful Symposium

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03-02-2025

 

On Sunday, February 2, 2025, the University of Sulaimani organized a symposium in observance of World Wetlands Day under the theme “Wetlands in Our Future.” The event was attended by Professor Dr. Kosar Mohammed Ali, President of the University of Sulaimani, along with the Vise Presidents; Dr. Haval Abubakr, Governor of Sulaimani; and William Okayo, Representative of the World Food Programme for Climate Change.
The ceremony commenced with a moment of silence in honor of the martyrs, followed by an address from Professor Dr. Kosar Mohammed Ali, who emphasized the significance of the university’s collaboration with the World Food Programme in advancing environmental sustainability. He underscored the critical role of wetlands in maintaining ecological balance and preserving biodiversity, while also highlighting the importance of constructed wetlands as a means of strengthening university-community engagement. These initiatives serve as educational platforms that provide students with practical experience in environmental science, ecosystem management, and conservation strategies. Furthermore, he advocated for the integration of such subjects into the university curriculum to enhance students’ applied knowledge in environmental studies.
The symposium featured a video presentation outlining the implementation of the University of Sulaimani’s constructed wetland project. Subsequently, Dr. Zhino Khalid, Head of the Department of Environmental Sciences at the College of Environmental Sciences and a member of the technical team for constructed wetlands, along with Dr. Zerin Jamal, a key technical team member, delivered separate seminars examining the scientific dimensions of the university’s constructed wetland.
A panel discussion titled “Wetlands for Our Common Future” was then convened, featuring William Okayo, World Food Programme Representative for Climate Change; Dr. Karwan Sabah, Director General of Water Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources; and Dr. Ako Rashid, Technical Team Member for Constructed Wetlands, College of Engineering, University of Sulaimani. The session was moderated by Ms. Razan Omar, Representative of the Grant Office at the University of Sulaimani and Deputy Head of the Department of Environmental Sciences. The discussion focused on the ecological significance of wetlands and the advancement of constructed wetlands, with particular emphasis on the University of Sulaimani’s initiative.
Reflecting on the event, Ms. Razan Omar stated to the university’s official website that the symposium received global recognition as part of the World Wetlands Day observance. She emphasized that the primary objective was to showcase the University of Sulaimani’s constructed wetland as a scalable model for addressing environmental challenges within broader communities.
Furthermore, she highlighted that the University of Sulaimani successfully registered the symposium on an international platform, distinguishing it as the sole academic institution in both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq to have a globally acknowledged initiative in commemoration of World Wetlands Day.

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