UNESCO CHAIR For Inter-Religious Dialogue Studies in The Islamic World
Paris — 22 July 2026
Dr. Alaa Shatnan, Director of the UNESCO Chair at the University of Kufa, participated in the international seminar entitled:
Futures Dialogues
Culture of Peace (Part II)
Shared Waters, Shared Futures:
Building a Culture of Peace in Africa through Water Cooperation and
Education
The seminar was held on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, and was convened by UNESCO through its Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) and the Division of Water Sciences, bringing together a distinguished assembly of senior officials, eminent experts, and renowned international and African scholars.
The seminar underscored the pivotal significance of transboundary water management and water education as strategic instruments for conflict prevention, the facilitation of mediation, and the promotion of continental stability. These deliberations were conducted in preparation for the:
Biennale of Luanda – Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace
scheduled to be held in Angola in October 2026, and in alignment with the African Union’s 2026 theme on water sustainability and sanitation.
The event featured a series of high-level panel discussions examining mechanisms for strengthening water governance and harnessing African knowledge, expertise, and capacities to formulate sustainable policies. It further highlighted the indispensable role of women and youth in the stewardship of shared water resources.
The recommendations emerging from these dialogues are set to be submitted as principal contributions to the Biennale of Luanda, as well as to the forthcoming international water conferences to be convened in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.
