Peacebuilding and Peaceful Coexistence Center

The repercussions of armed conflicts, political and economic crises do not stop in the absence of violence, but rather their effects extend to the post-conflict stages. In fact, they remain latent, nourishing and stimulating conflicts unless the causes and motives are dealt with, as well as the effects. Despite the utmost importance of the absence of violent scenarios in life, its purpose does not exceed anything more than a negative peace in which violence is absent, while its effects and causes remain. The injustices, wounds, violations, and preludes to societal peace will not end unless a positive peace is sought. One that is achieved by using both human and material resources, makes the stability that follows the end of armed conflicts concerning.
Hence, the importance of peacebuilding emerges as an urgent necessity that takes on the cognitive frameworks and field experience. It begins with reality in terms of comprehension and analysis, but it only reacts to it to the degree that it helps overcome its drawbacks. It also reflects on the past and develops precise, well-researched mechanisms to deal with it in a way that is balanced and does not cause the memory to become agitated or forgotten. Instead, it ensures that what happened won’t happen again by preserving powerful scenes for future generations.
War and peace are not random phenomena as some believe, but rather processes that are subject to planning, analysis and measurement. From this standpoint, just as war has its leaders and planners, peace must have its makers and designers. Peacebuilding is a long-term, cumulative developmental process that does not end at a certain point and varies according to time, place and people. In this context, the establishment of the Center for Peacebuilding and Peaceful Coexistence at the University of Mosul comes as a step towards demolishing the wall between the university and society in order to contribute, with its cognitive and research capabilities, to promoting peace and building trust among segments of society, leading to sustainable peaceful coexistence.
Therefore, the center’s mechanisms vary between theoretical and field studies, opinion polls, position questionnaires, and capacity building that undertakes to understand and analyze conflicts, clarify positions and interests. Through interactive sessions that are skilled at listening and professional in offering solutions, the center’s circle of interest broadens to include all facets of society, state institutions, and civil society organizations. Accordingly, its mission will not stop with the publication of its accomplishments. In addition, seek real partnerships with all actors at the local, regional, and international levels. Furthermore, the center also studies the experiences of others and benefits from them without adopting them in detail, as each situation has its own saying and each experience has its own specificity. It adopts strategies but does not neglect immediate plans, contributes to presenting its vision in formulating and evaluating policies, as well as discusses legislation and demonstrates its effectiveness. From these starting points comes the process of building peace and peaceful coexistence, which the center believes in as an inevitable option in a country that has suffered for a long time and must have peace, development, equality, justice, and the rule of law.