With the participation of Members of Parliament, representatives of the Prime Ministry and of several Ministries of Iraq, as well as Arab and foreign Ambassadors and diplomats, and officials of various United Nations agencies, the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB) celebrated the grand opening of its UNESCO Chair on Education for Health and Well-Being, officially awarded to the University in January of this year.
AUIB President, Dr. Michael Mulnix, welcomed the crowd of dignitaries and members of AUIB faculty and staff, proclaiming that the “young, dynamic, growing, and ambitious” University is well-positioned to be part of UNESCO’s strategy of building an international network of cultural and academic partnerships that contribute to the development of host countries, and affirming that the new Chair will mark a milestone in promoting education, health, and the overall well-being of Iraq’s population. UNESCO’s newest Chair in Iraq will be closely aligned with AUIB’s College of Education and Human Development, which is itself a partner of Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development, explained President Mulnix, pointing out in this context AUIB’s ongoing efforts at expanding its network of partner institutions of higher education. These partnerships and collaborations, in tandem with the celebrated Chair, serve to “mobilize expertise in higher education and research to address the increasing challenges” facing Iraq, through the advancement of teaching, research, and training in the targeted fields, said President Mulnix.
Advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister for Health Affairs, Dr. Saleh Dhumad, conveyed the salutations of Prime Minister Al-Sudani, wishing the new enterprise success. Dr. Dhumad considered the establishment of the Chair at AUIB “a significant step” towards “enhancing networking with the global cultural and academic society,” one which will increase the exchange of knowledge within the scope of the Chair. Dr. Dhumad saw that Iraq, after living in isolation for decades, is now open to the world, and is in great need for intensified efforts at modernizing its educational curricula such that they keep abreast of the latest in the field of education, scientific research, and innovation.
AUIB Vice President of Corporate Engagement, Dr. Hassan Nadhem, briefed the audience on the founding of three UNESCO Chairs in Iraq in the past few years, with the presently celebrated Chair being the fourth in the country, maintaining that these Chairs play an “essential role in addressing any country’s challenges,” and that they have “a significant impact on social progress.” The first Chair in Iraq, on inter-religious dialogue in the Islamic World, was established at the University of Kufa. The second, established at the University of Baghdad, is on genocide prevention and peacebuilding, while the third, established at the University of Mosul, is on
preventing violence and extremism. Focused on “healing and preventing,” these Chairs came in response to “crises and trauma,” while the newest UNESCO Chair at AUIB represents a move forward in a new direction, said UNESCO Representative in Iraq, Mr. Paolo Fontani, summarizing UNESCO’s expectations of it as elevating the “physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health” of Iraqi society. Mr. Fontani stated that pupils who receive quality higher education are more likely to lead a healthy life, in a broad sense, while violence and deterioration of general wellbeing are locked in a vicious circle of a mutually reinforcing dynamic