The University of Zakho organized a two-day training workshop within the framework of the TRANSITION Project, which focuses on cultural diversity, inclusion, and sustainable development goals, under the supervision of the university president.

The workshop was held on May 11–12, 2026, under the patronage of the President of the University of Zakho, Dr. Diyar A. Saeed. The opening session on May 11 was attended by the university vice presidents, including Dr. Jassim M. Abdo, Dr. Muhammed H. Khamo, and Dr. Ramadhan J. Mstafa, in addition to the director of the International Relations Affairs, Dr. Nizar I. Ali.

The workshop was coordinated by former participants of previous training sessions within the program, namely Dr. Abdulsalam N. Abdullah, Dr. Nizar A. Hassan, and Dr. Ali H. Yusuf.

A total of 21 participants attended the training, including four academic staff members from the University of Zakho, eight university employees, two postgraduate students from diverse backgrounds at the master’s and doctoral levels, and seven teachers from Zakho Directorate of Education representing different communities.

During the two-day event, six sessions addressing various cultural topics and the importance of preserving cultural heritage were conducted. Participants engaged in discussions through the development of small-scale projects that examined the cultural conditions of different communities and proposed both short-term and long-term solutions to challenges facing cultural components in the Kurdistan Region.

The workshop was organized as part of the Erasmus+ Programme, specifically under the KA2, funded by the European Union. The TRANSITION Project aims to preserve the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of minority communities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Yemen.

At the conclusion of the workshop, certificates of participation were awarded by the university president, vice presidents, and the Director of International Relations.

The project runs from February 1, 2025, until December 31, 2027, and includes several partner institutions, namely the University of Duhok, the University of Zakho, the University of Sulaimani, Soran University, the University of Aden, Taiz University, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Évora, UNIMED – Mediterranean Universities Union, ICOMOS, and Kurdistan Archaeology Organization.

The TRANSITION Project seeks to promote an inclusive and collaborative educational environment that supports the preservation of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of minority communities. Through interdisciplinary approaches and cooperation among higher education institutions, researchers, decision-makers, and civil society organizations, the project aims to raise awareness about the importance of cultural heritage preservation in both the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Yemen.