EIN Network Organizes Electoral Awareness Forum for Journalists in Sulaymaniyah as Part of the “Democracy and Transparency” Project

Sulaymaniyah – Thursday, June 12, 2025

As part of the project “Democracy and Transparency: Empowering Civic Engagement and Media Freedom,” and with support from the European Union, EIN Network for Monitoring Election and Democracy organized an electoral awareness forum for journalists in Sulaymaniyah. The forum was held in partnership with the Shams and Tammuz networks, and in coordination with the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC).

The forum was marked by the high-level participation of representatives from leading media outlets in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, including Mr. Amanj, Director of the IHEC Office in Sulaymaniyah, along with representatives from KNN, Al Iraqiya (Kurdish & Arabic), Speda, Kurdsat News, NRT, Metro, Roj News, Gali Kurdistan, Xendan, PRS Media, +964, Moral, Westga, BMC, and the Director of Al Iraqiya’s Sulaymaniyah office.

The forum opened with a welcome speech by EIN, emphasizing the pivotal role of media in enhancing public participation in the electoral process. The speech also stressed the importance of raising awareness about voter registration updates and encouraging democratic engagement.

Interactive discussion sessions addressed key topics such as the legal framework for elections, the importance of participating in democratic processes, the mechanism for updating voter records, and the media’s role in building trust in the electoral process.

The event received broad media coverage, including several live press and television interviews that highlighted the forum’s objectives and discussions. The forum reaffirmed the importance of collaboration between IHEC and media outlets to support the democratic process and ensure transparency and professionalism in election reporting.