On June 2, the Centre for Environmental Studies (CES) at the University of Kurdistan Hewlêr (UKH), in partnership with the Netherlands based IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, hosted a special event and panel discussion titled “Climate Resilience in Action: Addressing Drought, Flooding, and Vulnerability”.
The event commenced with opening remarks from UKH Interim President, Dr. Zana Ibrahim, who highlighted the significance of the collaboration with IHE Delft. He emphasised UKH’s strong commitment to environmental values and its dedication to addressing climate challenges.
Eventually, Ms. Sundus from IHE Delft shared insights into their ongoing work and projects in Iraq, including those within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Moreover, Prof. Dr. Dana Mawlood, UKH Vice President (Administration) and Director of CES, who is a prominent expert in environmental and climate change challenges in both the KRI and Iraq at large, presented a presentation highlighting key environmental challenges. He stressed the critical need for effective water management and strategic investment in solutions to mitigate these threats. The event featured another compelling presentation by Dr. Ilyas Masih, Associate Professor of Water Resources Planning at IHE Delft, who explored how international policies contribute to drought disaster risk education.
The event was followed by a panel discussion where Dr. Masih and Prof. Dana Mawlood were joined by Prof. Peter Droege, Director of the Liechtenstein Institute for Strategic Development (LISD) – a globally recognized institution on sustainable urban and regional development – where he brought a wealth of international expertise, offering strategic insights into innovative, future-oriented solutions to environmental challenges. In the end, students and experts from the audience were able to interact and ask the panelists questions.
The event concluded with a formal signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between CES and IHE Delft, witnessed by Ms. Bertrille Snoeijer, Deputy Consul-General of the Netherlands in Erbil. She applauded the milestone, which represents a step forward in strengthening partnerships to tackle climate change. The newly formalized collaboration between UKH and IHE Delft sets the stage for deeper academic engagement, capacity building, and shared research.
It is worth mentioning that the CES is currently conducting a joint research project in the Nineveh plain in collaboration with the University of Duhok, to raise awareness about water quality and management in the area. This joint research project is funded by an amount of €100,000 by IHE Delft.
The Climate Resilience in Action event stands as an important milestone in enhancing environmental research and education in the KRI. By convening regional and international experts, the event underscored the pressing need to confront issues like drought and flooding.
Click HERE to watch a video recap of the event and insghts from participants.
