Shafaq News – Erbil

Iraq wrapped up on Wednesday JISRA project promoting interfaith coexistence, with a closing conference held in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region.

The initiative was organized by the Iraqi government in cooperation with more than 20 civil society organizations.

Khudr Domle, an advisor to the project, told Shafaq News that the program focused on areas with a long history of religious diversity and conflict, including Shekhan, the Nineveh Plains districts of Tel Kaif and Hamdaniya, and Kirkuk province.

“This project, which lasted about four years, opened space for various actors — civil society, governments, activists, and especially religious institutions — to work on strengthening coexistence,” Domle said, adding that one of its distinctive features was giving citizens the freedom to design and implement activities themselves, ensuring local ownership.

The JISRA-Iraq project is part of the broader Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA), an international partnership of 50 civil society organizations operating in Iraq, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, and Uganda. Backed by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JISRA runs a five-year program (2021–2025) aimed at building peaceful and just societies where all people can freely practice their religion or belief.