Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim: From Baghdad, the winds of change started in the Arab world and will be its destination
Head of the Reform and Reconstruction Alliance, Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim, in a speech during the first conference of the Iraq Summit for Non-Governmental Organizations, held in his office Baghdad Friday 26/4/2019 stressed the need to strengthen the policy of international and regional openness witnessed by Iraq and the great development in Iraq's international relations as the real power to build positive relations, noted that Baghdad will be the starting point of stability in the region as it was the start of winds of change in the Arab world.
His eminence pointed out that the non-governmental organizations is considered the fifth authority, because of its substantial influence in the democratic system, the relationship is complementary between these organizations and the democratic system, and the more voluntary work broadened and the society becomes a giving, democracy becomes more consolidated and contribute to support the state and the system, stressed on the importance of integrated work between the active organizations and the democratic systems.
His eminence explained that democracy is not slogans, but a conduct and a culture that must be crystallized in every place, in career and home, when dealing with others, and to accept each other's intellectual, cultural, and national differences. The consolidated democracy is that democracy which promotes the culture of life not death, the culture of optimism, hope, and peaceful coexistence, not exclusion and marginalization, and consolidate the culture of love and intimacy, not a culture of rancour and hatred. And stressed to make openness a general feature, and that consolidating this culture cannot be achieved only by active roles from the non-governmental organizations, and great efforts must be made to build active non-governmental organizations.
His Eminence pointed to the importance of building capacities and capabilites, and rehabilitate a generation of young people capable of facing the negative aspects of society, as well as producing real programs that support the foundations of democracy, pointed out the importance of attracting volunteers who wish to offer their services in various fields within civil non-governmental organizations.
His Eminence stressed the need for the independence of non-governmental organizations that target everyone with its interventions away from sectarian and ethnic affiliations, pointed to importance of state and government support so that the non-governmental organizations organizations take their real role, side by side with efforts to consolidate the non-governmental organizations principles and credibility in dealing with various social situations.
His eminence stressed the need for cooperation between non-governmental organizations and government institutions and put an end to the intertwining between them, stressed the need for integration between non-governmental organizations and state institutions, and that these institutions do not consider organizations to be rivals, and pointed out that it is important to provide realistic solutions by these organizations to state institutions in various issues in community, service and even legislative issues.
His eminence added " The on-governmental organizations should have a number of objectives, including motivating the society to restore the initiative, end pessimistic prospects, protect the society from itself, confront divisions and crises, contribute to economic development and push to achieve equitable distribution of wealth" and stressed the need to adopt the national project, overcome sectarian and national entrenchment in a methodical manner.
His eminence emphasized on international and regional openness witnessed by Iraq and the great development in its international relations, stressed the need to strengthen the policy of international and regional openness as the real power to build positive relations, and indicated that Baghdad will be the starting point of stability in the region as it was the start of winds of change in the Arab world.
