College of Political Sciences

Under the patronage of the Office of the Prime Minister (Permanent National Committee for Awareness and Societal Guidance), the Community Dialogue Committee, in cooperation with the Al-Khaima Foundation for Development and Peacebuilding and the Directorate for Countering Extremist Ideology, organized a panel discussion entitled: “The Role of Community Leadership in Fostering a Culture of Constructive Dialogue.” The event took place on Monday, 12 May 2025, and was attended by a diverse group of academics, religious figures, civil society actors, and community leaders.

Among the participants was Assistant Professor Dr. Tareq Mohammed Tayeb Dhahir, a faculty member in the Department of International Relations at the College of Political Science, University of Mosul. In his intervention, Dr. Dhahir emphasized the importance of employing political and social analytical tools to understand the underlying causes of societal fragmentation. He highlighted the pivotal role that universities and academic institutions can play in preparing a new generation of leaders capable of promoting a culture of dialogue and pluralism.

The panel aimed to shed light on the vital role that community leaders—particularly those from academic, religious, and civil society backgrounds—can play in strengthening constructive dialogue within society. It further stressed the importance of creating common ground for mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence among the various social components. This objective, the panel noted, can be achieved by encouraging cooperation among official institutions, civil society organizations, and universities in order to combat extremist ideologies and address the root causes of social tensions through dialogue and peaceful communication strategies.