Heavenly Culture, World Peace, restoration of Light (HWPL) has organized and held an online conference and formed a permanent committee for peace and reconciliation in Iraqi society.
The committee was formed and launched on December 19, 2025, where with other peace activities it will prepare the environment for the implementation of the Middle East Peace Initiative that will provide a new form of Regionally Led Peace Initiative in Iraq.
The committee has been established as a permanent platform that brings together representatives of civil society, religious leaders and experts from the legal and administrative sectors across the Middle East to discuss mechanisms for embedding a culture of peace in societies that will experience conflict.
HWPL held an international online conference entitled “International Online Conference on Peace Implementation in the Middle East: Building Sustainable Peace through Social Partnership”.
The conference brought together former and current officials and civil society representatives from Iraq and across the Middle East to discuss peacebuilding approaches grounded in local realities.
Iraq has historically been a country where diverse religions and ethnic groups have coexisted, with the 1988 Halabja massacre remaining a key point of reference in discussions about national reconciliation and the protection of human rights.
In recent years, as Iraq has entered a phase of peacebuilding and conflict resolution, collaboration between local governments, religious communities and civil society has gradually expanded around peace and reconciliation efforts.
HWPL organized the conference to place the experiences and perspectives of local communities at the center of the discussions.
Iraq’s former Minister of Immigration and Emigration, Mr. Pascal Isho Warda, a civil society activist, said peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved through external forces alone and must begin with the restoration of trust and solidarity within local communities first.
He stressed the importance of establishing common standards for peace and coexistence that transcend past tragedies.
Following the forum, HWPL announced concrete next steps, including advancing the establishment of a Middle East Peace Implementation Committee based in Iraq.
Plans include holding regular online meetings and running specific working groups on issues with participating leaders.
HWPL also aims to organize an offline event in Iraq in January 2026 and create a space for civil society actors, religious leaders and legal experts to participate directly.
Through these follow-up steps, HWPL seeks to build a sustainable, step-by-step framework for peace cooperation in the Middle East.
