UNESCO Iraq Office marks the International Day for Tolerance

“Tolerance is respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world’s cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human.” UNESCO’s 1995 Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.

UNESCO Iraq Office marked the International Day for Tolerance with a joint event organized with the High Commission for Erbil Citadel Revitalization (HCECR), under the EU funded project “Support to Livelihoods through Cultural Heritage Development”. The event was attended by Honorable Governor of Erbil, Mr. Omed Khoshnaw, the Head of the HCECR, Nihad Qoja; and Director-Generals of relevant directorates.

The event included diverse artistic exhibition by students from Emma Organization, Ranj Art group, Balla School; homemade local delicacies food, and live music by students of the Department of Music, Fine Arts Institute and Balla school. All the events had the theme of tolerance, of ‘diversity as a strength’ running through them.

Speaking on behalf of Mr. Paolo Fontani, UNESCO Representative to Iraq, Mr. Kuany Kiir Kuany echoed Ms. Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General’s remarks on the day: “Our organization works day to day to defend and promote cultural and linguistic diversity and diversity of knowledge, especially indigenous knowledge, so that all these outlooks and ways of seeing the world can open up new vistas for humankind through dialogue and exchange.”

Read more – https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/toleranceday