Faculty Report February 5, 2022 GO GREEN GROUP-IRAQ (GGGI) PROJECT REMOTE MEETING By Professor Khalil Qatawneh The remote meeting of the Go Green Group Iraq GGGI was held on Saturday the 5th of February 2022. The meeting was led by Prof. Jabbar Al-Obaidi, Bridgewater State University, Dr. Tahir Albakaa, and Mr. Raad Kurdi, the coordinator of the GGGI Group. The meeting was also attended by Dr. Khalil Qatawneh- who facilitated the communication and translated for the Arab presenters from the GGG – Iraq into English. Seven speakers presented their activities on environment conservation and sustainability in different areas of Iraq. The following is a description of each group activities as presented in the meeting. Group 1: Title: Al Sulaimanieh Project Presenter: Hana Team: 3 members Description: The purpose of the project was to save environment in AlSulaimanieh, North of Iraq. The idea of the project came as a result of the field visits and media coverage on the amounts of plastic bottles scattered every where in the region including areas attracting picnickers. The methodology included designing awareness programs and social media campaigns like Facebook, Tweeter and Instagram. The program included local community and government and non-governmental organizations. The activities included the followings: - Cleaning by hikers - Involving children to collect the garbage - Getting the assistance from local military forces in collecting the garbage - Involving model military and police personnel in the efforts of environment conservation. NB. Team was not available Group 2: Title: Supporting and empowering rural women in face of the threat of climate change in Al-Diwaniyah Governorate, Al-Sadeer District, 7 km from the city center Presenter: Kareem Al-Tai Team: 3 members Description: The purpose of the project was to develop and build the capacities of the local population (rural women) in facing the impact of the threat of climate change on the economic and social levels. The blueprint of the projects included: - The effects of drought and water shortage on lands and their transformation into semi-desert - The effect of water shortage on agriculture. The methodology included setting up a series of meetings with the local community, workshops for the local people, re-telling success stories of one of the women who benefited from support. - A plenty of pictures presented in the meeting. Group 3: Title: Hit Project, Ramadi Presenter: Rafat Alhiti Team: 3 members Description: The purpose of the project was to develop and build the capacities of the local population of Heit (check spelling) in environment conservation. The project methodology focused on creating connections with local government and communities including governmental and non-governmental organizations. Activities included: - Designing awareness programs for schools and colleges on environment conservation. - Arranging for festivals of environment conservation - Using hand-made products from the city heritage - Receiving tourists from different parts of the world. - Preparing special talks for the protection of life in the Euphrates. - Control of the everlasting problem of sulphatic water and untreated water in Heit. - Fighting throwing food remaining randomly - A campaign of the shore boat (a classical boat built by Heiti from raw materials) - Drawing attention for the lack of sewage treatment plants in Heit Group 4: Title: Enhancement of the environmental concepts for the local community aftermath the 2014- war in the city of Mosul Presenter: Bassam and Ahmad Team: 3 members Problem: The prevalence of solid and plastic waste in the city of Mosul in public streets and on the banks of the Tigris River and in residential and governmental areas and their impact on the environment and water. Description: Launching an environmental project for reducing waste and plastic by raising awareness not to throw plastic cans in public places and city streets and to dispose of them in waste containers, and to promote the reduction of its use and conserve water from plastic waste. The major purpose of the project is educating the community about preserving the environment in the city and reducing the use of plastic to reduce waste in the city of Mosul. Specifically, a grassroot movement for reducing the throw of waste and plastic cans in the streets, rivers, banks of the Tigris River, forests, tourist areas and government institutions. The implementation mechanisms: - forming a work team, - holding meetings - mutual cooperation to carry out field awareness campaigns for cars and individuals not to throw plastic randomly. - holding seminars and media initiatives for the outreach Events and Activities: - Conducting an environmental training explaining the work mechanism and implementation plans for the project team for two days in a meeting room and presenting the detailed project. - Establishing an environmental field survey to determine the priority of environmental problems, the scope of the targets, the time period and the place - Conducting 20 field awareness campaigns and campaigns for schools, orphanages, children’s sports, academic centers and civil society organizations - Organizing 3 lectures on the environment, its importance, ways to preserve it, and the causes of pollution for the local community in coordination with research centers and institutions concerned with the environment and pollution, and inviting researchers, academics and the general public - Holding 3 coordination seminars aimed at networking and governmental coordination to address challenges and come up with recommendations for the project - Holding a founding conference with the participation of the local government, state departments, senior officials in the city and activists to achieve a greater impact in the work of campaigns, activate government decisions and laws, write reasons and problems, come up with applicable recommendations and work on them, and write a work map of the environmental situation in the city, which is distributed to state departments - Etc. Geographical scope: Ninewa Governorate (Mosul city) Duration: Eight (8) months Tools and instruments: Obtaining legal approvals and assessing needs through a reliable environmental field survey in all activities, preparing a work team, holding periodic meetings for continuous planning of work and follow-up, writing initiatives plans, determining work time and places of implementation, determining the category of beneficiaries for each campaign, preparing logistics and project requirements, preparing posters and supplies, and providing funds sufficient for the project and writing daily and monthly reports for follow-up and evaluation. Coordination and supporting bodies in implementation: - Nainawa Governorate Office (Local Government) - Association Affairs for Organizations in Nineveh Governorate - Mayor of the city of Mosul - Volunteer teams located in the city - Civil society organizations, institutions concerned with the environment and climate, and research centers - The relevant state departments from the Environment Department, the Municipal Department, and the Water Resources Department Group 5: Title: Alternatives for Environment Sustainability Presenter: Samim Team: 3 members Problem: Mountains of plastic waste in the sanitary landfill. Proposal: More sustainable and safer solutions for the health of citizens and reduction of the use of fabric bags. Description: To limit pollution of the environment in consideration of the the health and privacy, cloth (fabric) bags will be designed and promoted as an alternative for plastic bags. Fabric bags are safer, more private, and reusable. The implementation mechanisms: - Awareness campaigns, - Field visits - workshops. - seminars and promotions Group 6: Title: Babylon Project Presenter: Ghada Qassim and Arshad (full name needed) Team: 3 members Problem: Water scarcity and the spread of waste, including plastic, whose decomposition is slow and needs hundreds of years, and the green squares and streets are free of evergreen trees. Objectives: - Educating people to reduce plastic users. - Putting pressure on the concerned authorities to establish a waste recycling plant. - Cooperation with governmental and non-governmental institutions and organizations. - Civil society to launch a national campaign for afforestation. Geographical scope: Al-Hila/Babylon Governorate Duration: Eight (8) months Description: Formation of a team of those interested and specialists in environmental concepts in Babylon for the purpose of launching the TO BE GREEN campaign, which consists of several non-violent activities and events for stirring up public opinion for our cause and to put pressure on the parties for achieving our goals, The implementation mechanisms: After forming the team and training it on the basics and concepts of the environment, we create networks and cooperate with the local government in Babylon and work in coordination with the municipality department, the environment department and the sewage department. Activities: - Establishing a training in Babel Governorate for the purpose of forming a team and training it on environmental and spectral advocacy on reducing environmental pollutants. - Creating awareness videos directed to the community to reduce the use of plastic - Using alternatives such as fabrics and paper bags and displaying them on giant screens in streets of the city and posted on social networking sites. - Supporting small factories that produce pottery and promoting them in the media through urging restaurants to use them, as previously agreed upon. Group 7: Title: Awareness and cleaning campaign in Utaifiya/Baghdad area Presenter: Zainab and Amjad (full name needed) Team: 3 members Objectives: - Elimination of waste on the bank of the Tigris River - Awareness of the residents of the area - River Bank cleaning campaign - Educating people about the dangers of littering in the river - Increasing people's awareness of the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of the river and its banks Methodology - Coordination with government agencies - Providing campaign supplies - Establish cleaning campaigns - Organizing awareness workshops for the residents - distributing brochures - afforestation - Setting up containers in the Riverbank Techniques - cleaning materials - containers - brochures afforestation Arrangements: - Coordination with the Municipality of Kadhimiya - Coordination with the district administrator - Coordination with the environment for the purpose of holding workshops The meeting ended with a thorough discussion on the next steps of the Go Green Group- Iraq. A bulletin will be produced and published soon under the name of GGGI. Connections with central authority people in different cities involved in the project are discussed, too.
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