On September 16 and 17, 2024, the KRG Representative to Austria, Dr. Mustafa Ramazan, took part in the annual conference of the “Initiative Christian Orient (ICO),” a renowned Austrian NGO focused on providing humanitarian aid and assistance to Christian communities throughout the Middle East. At the invitation of the ICO, H.E. Minister Ano Jawhar Abdoka also participated in the conference and delivered the main lecture about the situation of Christians in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
Participants in the conference included dignitaries from the church, such as the Archbishop of Salzburg, H.E. Franz Lackner, Middle East experts from Austrian and German think tanks, academics, as well as guest speakers from the region.
The ICO has been very active in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, providing aid to projects that benefit not only Christian communities but also all local communities in the Nineveh plains and Ainkawa, for example. They have visited the Kurdistan Region many times and maintain strong cooperation with the Representation in Austria, as well as with local authorities in the Region.
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