On Sunday, September 11, 2022, Koya University in collaboration with International Migration Organization and Azhi organization organized a workshop on suicide prevention on World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10).
At the beginning of the workshop, the Head of IOM Office, Ms. Yoko Fujimara delivered a speech. She spoke about the importance of holding this workshop on spreading suicide awareness and thanked Koya University for hosting this event.
Then the speech of Koya University was delivered by Dr. Haider Lashkari, Vice president for Scientific Affairs and Higher Education. Dr. Lashkari in his speech, spoke about the role and influence of the university in preventing the problems of society, including suicide, and stressed that the university can provide appropriate solutions in these areas and more into society and thus the university and society complement each other.
Afterward, Mr. Qane Khader made several speeches about the work and activities of IOM in Iraq to prevent suicide and in this context, he referred to the strategic plan of the Federal Government of Iraq to prevent suicide.
A welcome speech by Dr. Hawkar Bapir, Director of Communications of Koya University, and Ms. Julia Meyer was presented.
After the speeches, the first panel of the workshop began. Dr. Yasin Duman, in which D. Khalid Ismail Mustafa presented a talk on the role of religion in suicide prevention, highlighted religious and belief principles and the reasons and principles that can prevent believers from committing suicide.
Asst. Lect. Bakhan Bakhtiar, the second panelist, talked about how everyone can prevent suicide. He highlighted the ability to listen and empathetic individuals to play a role in solving this phenomenon so that individuals can perform special morals and ethics such as listening and empathy The environment should play a fundamental role in solving the problems of other individuals and thus prevent a phenomenon such as suicide.
- A short film was presented
Then the short film "Hope or Action" directed by Qane Khader, Kovan Abdullah, and Amira Murad was screened.
The parallel workshops were another part of the program in which the participants were divided into five different groups to discuss the phenomenon of suicide together within the framework of joint groups from the perspective of “Research, Media, Strategic Policy Making, Gender, and Civil society and Health”. . . . . Dr. Yasin Duman and Asst. Lect. Hazha Taha, Group 2: Dr. Sarah Wilson and Dr. Govand Najmaddin, Group 3: M. Sabah Abdulrahman and Asst. Lect. Mohammed Syedgul, Group 4: Dr. Hawkar Bapir and Omar Al-Ani, Group 5: Raz Bakr and Daban Qasim.
On the sidelines of the workshop, an exhibition of paintings by Ms. Naz Ali Awla was opened.
Ms. Naz said about the relationship between suicide and art and the role of art, especially painting, in suicide prevention:
"In my opinion, art can play a good and effective role in preventing suicide because art is a source of peace of mind for the individual.
Later, in another section, the summary of the discussions in the five groups was presented to the participants in a joint panel and the participants enriched the discussions with their questions, comments, and suggestions.
The final part of the workshop was the awarding of certificates of participation to the organizing committee of the workshop by Koya University and International Migration Organization IOM.
