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About Us
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Origin
Our group was originally founded in London in 1993 as The Iraqi Cultural
Forum (ICF), a research group that organized academic conferences and
seminars to study Iraq and wider Middle East. The ICF was initiated by a host
of London-Paris based Iraqi scholars and writers, supported by Birkbeck
College and School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), of London
University. It was also backed by a host of prominent scholar from the
academia. After the 2003 demise of the Ba‘ath regime, the ICF took the
decision to move to its native land, Iraq, rename and expand the scope of its
mission. Our activity has self-sustained scholarly work.
Thanks to the warm support shown by the Iraqi community in London and beyond,
the ICF managed to organize several conferences at London University and
produce a number of books on Iraq and the ME. Now as before, the new
institute will continue this tradition of autonomy and cooperation. Our Institute (IIST) has been established to promote,
conduct, and foster research, study and analysis relating to the current
political, economic, and social developments in Iraq through direct polling,
data collection, and analysis. Our activities involve, research,
training-education, and dissemination of information. Our institute will disseminate information and
promote, conduct and foster other activities designated to increase knowledge
and understanding relating to trends in Iraq that concern peace, democracy,
rule of law, religious tolerance, government transparency, human rights and
other subjects beneficial to the community, students, organizations,
academics, and others who find it useful. As Iraq has been a closed society for years with
scarce objective and reliable social scientific studies, our institute hopes
to develop and disseminate a body of new knowledge in the fields of social
sciences. It is the IIST’s desire and belief that this new body of information
will be invaluable to the general public. Our institute will also provide a forum in which
individuals and organizations may consult and cooperate in considering Iraq’s current
and future transition. Our institute
will develop curricula for assistant researchers, students and human rights
and women activists on the rule of law, ethnic relations, women’s rights,
religion and tolerance, and other relevant issues. IIST will design an educational and training program
that promotes the above mentioned and other objectives. Our activities will consist of presenting public
discussion groups, forums, panels and lectures in Iraq and beyond. The
institute will also disseminate its products via the internet, pamphlet, and
books as an effective means for the increased dissemination and advancement
of knowledge of subjects of concern to the general public.
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