Baidar, Iraq

Acknowledging the peace that you have given me

Since the day I returned, my view of the world has changed. Until now, I’m still trying to process all the information and experiences I’ve acquired, and I’m constantly trying to stay connected even though I’m overwhelmed with work.

So I decided to start with a word: thank you.

Thank you to the organizers of this program for offering me this wonderful opportunity, with all the weight and meaning that this word carries.

And thank you, my friends, for everything you have shared with me, for listening to every word I said, and for understanding the reality in which I live.

Thank you, dear ship, for bringing us together on your deck and giving us the chance to experience peace through our differences.

And thank you, dear sea, for keeping us connected through your waves, and even in your storms, you kept us bound together.

From the very first day in Naples, I felt the warmth of the team and the people around me. I felt the hope I had lost in my country… the hope of peace — a peace that begins within us, then grows to change those around us, before reaching society as a whole.

I have always wondered: how can I create such an environment in Iraq? An environment that is peaceful and diverse in its religions and beliefs, as Iraq once was… and how can we overcome all these conflicts?

But from the very first moment we started talking, I discovered that the most important elements for building peace are: dialogue, listening, and acceptance. These three keys are the foundation of any peaceful environment.

On a personal level… I felt like I was part of a family, even though it was the first time I was meeting you.

At the end of this journey begins an even greater one, the one I have dreamed of since my childhood: finding a way to build peace in the country where I grew up, a country that lost the sense of peace after all these wars. I want to tell everyone I meet your story, my friends, and how we lived and felt peace together despite our differences; how we cared for each other, created memories, and learned from each other. And most importantly, how we took time for ourselves to calm our minds and find inner peace.

Having you in my life is truly a blessing.

You are the calm in the storms of my soul, the smile in my darkest days, and the light that dispels my darkness.

Thank you for all the love and kindness you have given me.

Thank you for helping me find hope once again.

I hope you will spread peace in your countries and make them even more beautiful.

And I sincerely hope that one day I will be able to visit you all, and that we can once again share this peace together.