Strengthening social cohesion while increasing green spaces in Iraq

Within Qudra II Programme, Hungarian Interchurch Aid is supporting civil society organizations with the aim of strengthening social cohesion through their programmes. Recently HIA supported an initiative named Green Kurdistan that successfully implemented an environment protection project. The goal of the joint project was to increase green spaces and spread awareness about the importance of protecting the environment.

In this programme HIA-Hungary targeted five schools in Piramagrun district, Sulaymaniyah that already had a designated space for gardens but had lack of resources to use them properly. Seminars were held in each school to educate both children and adults about garden maintenance. It is very important to raise the attention of children at a young age so they will be eco-conscious adults. Besides, while members of the civil society are closely and successfully cooperating, social cohesion is deepening and getting stronger on a long-term.

Within the project 50 fruit trees and about 300 flowers were planted at each school by students and staff with the help of experts. As a part of Green Kurdistan’s capacity building, two trainings were held for the school staffs. The first one was about project management and proposal writing and the second about environmental education.