Call for Papers: Save the Tigris and the Iraqi Marshes Campaign
- Iraqi marshlands, Photo by: Terry Kay Rockefeller October 2012
Call for Papers: Save the Tigris and the Iraqi Marshes Campaign
Launched Sunday December the 2nd, 2013
Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative (ICSSI), a member in the Save the Tigris and The Iraqi Marshes Campaign, is presently soliciting proposals for presentations at the Baghdad Workshop on the Impact of Ilisu Dam on Iraq. The Workshop will take place in Baghdad with the participation of Iraqi and international experts, between March- April 2013. The purpose of this call for papers is to strengthen the quality of technical information available to tackle the issue of the Ilisu Dam’s effects on Iraqi water resources. The thematic focus and submission procedures for papers are listed below. Deadline for submission of an Abstract January 1st 2013.
I. Thematic Focus for Papers
Applicants must choose one of these three themes for each paper:
A. Impact of the Ilisu Dam on Iraq,
Area of intervention: right to water; socio-economical, environmental and cultural impacts.
B. Legal actions to protect Iraqis’ right to water,
Area of intervention: International law, trans-boundary water and relevant Iraqi legislation.
C. Role and responsibility of the Iraqi government concerning the Ilisu Dam
Area of intervention: politics and trans-boundary water
II. Submission Procedures
Iraqi experts, academics, lawyers, and professionals are invited to present a paper or poster; they should submit an abstract of 500-700 words in Arabic and/ or English highlighting the thematic area they deal with. Submissions should be sending by e-mail by Tuesday the 1st of January 2013.
Authors will be notified of acceptance of their papers by January 15th, 2013 and full papers should be submitted by February 28th, 2013. The manuscripts will be peer reviewed by a special scientific committee (including academics, experts and civil society working on this topic in Iraq) before the publication process .
E-mails should be send to: icssi.project@gmail.com
III. Background Information
Save the Tigris and the Iraqi Marshes is an advocacy campaign that started in March 2012 by a coalition of civil society organizations from Iraq, Turkey and Iran. It is part of an international effort to save the world heritage on the Tigris River in Mesopotamia from the impacts of the Ilisu Dam project constructed on the Tigris River by the Turkish government, particularly protection of the marshlands of Mesopotamia in south Iraq. The campaign works to draw attention to the negative impact of the Ilisu Dam on the Iraqi water resources and to support restoration of the Iraqi marshes, as well as on advocacy events that involve all relevant actors (local communities; civil society organizations; media; national and local institutions; society of experts and intellectuals, research centers and universities and others). Our objectives for the Baghdad workshop are: (1)To introduce Save the Tigris Campaign goals and objectives and to consolidate and further develop the campaign efforts in Iraq; (2)To evaluate the impacts of the Ilisu Dam on Iraq’s socio-economical, environmental, cultural, human rights; (3)Explore legal avenues to protect the right of Iraqis to water, and the cultural and environmental heritage of the Tigris; (4)Explore the challenges of the process to submit the marshes to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee; (5)Introduce the global scope of the campaign and (6)A call for the Iraqi government to take responsibility for issues raised by the Ilisu Dam concerning water in the Tigris, including entering into negotiations with riparian states (Turkey/Syria/Iran) regarding Tigris River trans-boundary water; challenges concerning the implementation of a National Water Policy; challenges concerning plans to implement integrated water resource management (IWRM) and challenges concerning the implementation of environmental laws .
For further information about Baghdad Workshop or about the campaign in general:
In Baghdad:
Nadia Al Baghdady (PICST): +9647707792051
E- mail: nadiaalbaghdady@yahoo.com
International focal point:
Johanna Rivera: +9647503491586,
E-mail: johanna.rivera56@gmail.com
To Contact ICSSI team: + 39 3291345117, Email : icssi.project@gamil.com
