Diyarbakir, Turkey, May 2026 | University Press Office (UNPO)

As part of its strategic commitment to promoting peacebuilding, gender justice, social cohesion, and international academic engagement, the Center for Gender Equality Studies, University of Duhok participated in the Societal Peace and Freedom Forum, held under the slogan: “Together”, in Diyarbakir from May 12–16, 2026.

The forum was attended by the Governor of Duhok, Dr. Ali Tatar, and it was organized by the Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality and brought together academics, researchers, civil society representatives, and peacebuilding specialists from across the region to discuss issues related to:

• Displacement and return
• Justice and coexistence
• Gender equality and social peace
• Minority rights and community resilience
• Migration and social cohesion

As part of the forum activities, the Center participated in a specialized workshop titled:

“From Displacement to Coexistence: Justice, Return, and Social Cohesion in the Kurdistan Region”

The workshop was jointly organized in cooperation with the Center for Peace and Human Security at the American University of Kurdistan and aimed to create a comparative and reflective dialogue space connecting experiences from the Kurdistan Region and Kurdish communities in Turkey.

UOD Contribution on Gender Justice and Social Cohesion

Within the workshop sessions, the Head of the Center, Dr. Dileen Sardar Zuhdi from the University of Duhok contributed to a session titled:

“Gender Balance: Pathways to Community Peacebuilding between Law, and Reality”

The session focused on:

• Women’s access to justice
• Participation of women in peacebuilding processes
• Challenges faced by minority and displaced women
• The gap between legal frameworks and lived realities in post-conflict societies

Discussions emphasized the importance of integrating gender perspectives into peacebuilding, governance, and social recovery initiatives, particularly in displacement-affected communities.

Promoting Dialogue, Peacebuilding, and International Collaboration

The forum featured multilingual and interactive sessions addressing migration, belonging, governance, memory, identity, and societal healing. The event created an important regional platform for exchanging experiences and strengthening cross-border academic and societal dialogue on peaceful coexistence and human rights.

Participation in this international forum reflects UOD’s broader strategic priorities in:

• Advancing gender equality and inclusive development
• Strengthening international academic cooperation
• Encouraging community-oriented research and dialogue

Through such international engagements, the University of Duhok continues to reinforce its position as an active academic institution contributing to peace, justice, intercultural dialogue, and sustainable societal development.

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University Press Office, May 15, 2026
Reported by: Fatima Mahmood Ali

The News Keywords:

• University of Duhok peace forum participation
• Gender justice UOD
• Diyarbakir peace and freedom forum
• Social cohesion Kurdistan Region
• UOD international academic engagement