From the family to the electronic screen…

Conscious media in Diyala and sound education create a coexisting national consciousness within the strategy (Iraq First 2025–2030)
In line with the directives of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Presidency of Diyala University in implementing a series of initiatives under the national strategy “Iraq First 2025-2030”, which represents an ambitious national vision to enhance security and stability and advance Iraqi society in all its dimensions, the Media and Government Communication Division at the College of Basic Education organized a scientific symposium entitled “Media and Family Education in Promoting Community Security and Peaceful Coexistence,” in cooperation with the Family and Child Protection Department of the Diyala Provincial Police Command, in coordination with the Continuing Education Division at the college, and with the participation of a number of faculty members and students.
The seminar, which was presented by Assistant Professor Dr. Laith Abdul Sattar Ayada, Director of the Media and Government Communication Division at the College of Basic Education, and Lieutenant Colonel Shaher Jalal Attia, Family Protection Department, Diyala Provincial Police Command, aimed to highlight two fundamental pillars in building the new Iraq: responsible media and conscious family education, as the first line of defense in establishing community security and peaceful coexistence.
The symposium included discussions on several topics, the first of which focused on media and building community awareness.
The speakers explained that the media is no longer just a means of conveying news, but has become a tool for shaping reality and public opinion, capable of uniting or dividing, building or destroying. Therefore, what is needed is a committed national media that promotes the values of coexistence, rejects hate speech and sectarianism, and instills the values of citizenship and pluralism.
The second theme addressed the topic of family education as a incubator for social peace.
It was emphasized that the family is the primary educational institution that instills values in children, and that supporting the family through education and awareness contributes to creating a peaceful and conscious generation that is loyal to its homeland.
The third theme emphasized cooperation between the media and education to combat extremism.
It discussed the importance of partnership between the media and educational institutions in preventing extremism and violence through media campaigns and awareness programs for families and schools, under the supervision of joint scientific, educational, and media committees.
The fourth theme highlighted media and education within the Iraq First 2025–2030 strategy.
The symposium showed that community security cannot be achieved through weapons alone, but rather through awareness, culture, media, family, and school, calling for the integration of media education into school curricula, support for meaningful media, partnerships between educational and media institutions, and the launch of national youth initiatives to reject violence and hatred.
The symposium featured a valuable contribution from the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Prof. Omar Rahman Al-Arki, who emphasized the importance of integrating the roles of the media and educational institutions in creating sustainable community awareness that reinforces intellectual security and civil peace.
The symposium recommended the launch of a national media and educational campaign to promote a culture of social peace. It also recommended the inclusion of media education in educational curricula, as well as partnerships between the Ministries of Education and Media to produce content aimed at families and schools. It also recommended activating self-censorship through a national media code of ethics, training media professionals and educators in awareness-raising and peace-building skills, supporting the family as a cultural institution through psychological and educational support programs, and launching an annual award for the best media production that promotes coexistence and community security.
At the conclusion of the symposium, participants affirmed that such activities represent a practical application of the objectives of the Iraq First 2025-2030 strategy and embody the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular: Goal 4: Quality education, Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.