Peace through moderation II
Peace Through Moderation Conference is back!
After 4 years SPARK is organising the second PTM conference in the Rotana Hotel in Erbil on May 30. Hosting Kurdish government representatives, international and local experts, educators and media, PTM highlights the importance of engaging youth and the people around them – teachers, professors and parents – in the prevention of radicalisation and violent extremism. The conference offers an invaluable opportunity to exchange knowledge and expertise, network, discover new ideas, and be at the forefront of creating positive alternative pathways for Kurdish youth.

Agenda | ||
9:00 – 9:30 | Registration | |
9:30 – 10:00 | Opening | SPARK Kurdistan Regional Government Dutch Embassy/Consulate |
10:00 – 10:05 | Video | SPARK’s Mission |
10:05 – 10:30 | Keynote 1 | Networks of Change Introduction of NoC by Simon van Melick, programme manager at SPARK since 2012. Stories about youth-led campaigns, working with educators and preventing violent extremism. |
10:30 – 10:45 | Break | |
10:45 – 12:00 | Panel 1 | Panel 1: Radicalisation and its vulnerability to violent extremism Professor Dlawer Ala’Aldeen; Founding president at MERI-institute Mr. Saji Prelis M.Sc.; Co-Chair, Global Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security & Director, Children & Youth Programs, Search for Common Ground Senior representative from Iraqi government Moderator: Mr. Peter Knoope; Former director of ICCT, He is a Dutch career diplomat who has inter alia been posted as Head of Mission to Afghanistan |
12:00 – 1:00 | Lunch | |
1:00 – 1:15 | Live music | |
1:15 – 2:30 | Panel 2 | Panel 2: Collaborations for sustainable peace and inclusive security Senior representative from KR government Mr. Fulco van Deventer: Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT) and the Co-founder and Deputy Director of the Human Security Collective (HSC). Dr. Kamaran Palani: MERI Research Fellow, and IOM PVE advisor. Moderator: TBA |
2:30 – 2:45 | Keynote 2 | Wara Dang Campaign Interview with Kurdish youth leaders who are currently running this campaign from Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Halabja. Wara Dang (Speak Up) focuses on the importance of creating opportunities for youth in the private sector, local and national politics and their communities. |
2:45 – 4:00 | Panel 3 | Stories from a teacher, an entrepreneur and an actor Dr. Hashim Omer Ahmad: Professor at Halabja University and advocate for the prevention of radicalisation and violent extremism in schools, universities – and at home. Huda Hassan: talented marketeer and young entrepreneur, who started the successful fashion company Jamana. Hassan is a NoC alumni and was part of the Lo Na campaign. Reshan Hemo: is a director, writer and comedian. Known in the KRI for his comedy Reshanism. Hemo worked closely together with NoC on public awareness campaigns for Kurdish youth. Moderator: TBA |
4:15 – 430 | Networking and Closing Ceremony | |

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