South Ural State University graduate Syala Ahmed Waad Hazim organized and held the Russia and Iraq: Humanitarian Cooperation in the 21st Century forum in Baghdad.
The Russia and Iraq: Humanitarian Cooperation in the 21st Century forum was held to promote common values and develop partnerships among young people of the two countries. The participants of the forum included specialists in the field of international relations, teachers of Russian as a foreign language, Iraqi university students, and Russians living in Iraq.
During the forum the participants discussed the topics of the history of diplomatic relations between Russia and Iraq, our common cultural values, the prospects for trade and economic relations. The forum’s experts were President of the Global Alumni Alliance Vladimir Chetiy; lecturer of the Baghdad University's Department of Russian as a Foreign Language Mohamed Abdel Ali Al-Qazzazz; and Head of the Naba'a human rights organization Murad Al-Quraishi. Within the theme of education, the advantages of obtaining a profession were demonstrated through the example of higher education institutions in Russia, representatives of which offered video presentations.
The forum was held thanks to the Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Support Fund, which supported the initiator of the idea Syala Ahmed Waad Hazim, a graduate of South Ural State University.
"It has been a long-time dream of mine to show Russia for what it really is, to give opportunities for others to learn about Russian life, culture, and education. I decided that the first step should be an event like this. I am especially always proud to say that I am a graduate of South Ural State University. It is a great honour for me to represent not only my alma mater, but also Russia in its desire to develop in the field of humanitarian cooperation," commented Syala Ahmed Waad Hazim, head of the forum.
The forum was also supported by the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad, International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), the Global Alumni Alliance, the South Ural Association of International Students and Alumni, Baghdad University, and more than 15 higher education institutions of Russia.
"This is the first event of such a high level held during the long period of the pandemic and its associated restrictions. In our time it is very important to maintain and develop interstate relations, and language and culture are tools that aid in this. SUSU is glad to see that a graduate of our university supports the values of the university and the country where he received his higher education, and makes efforts to bring our countries, Russia and Iraq, closer together," said Ludmila Lapina, Head of the International Student Support.
