Experiencing a Different Iraq

Dave Santulli, founder of United Planet, and his son set foot on one of the safest cities in the world, Erbil in Iraq.

My New Year Visit to Iraq

I had the privilege to travel to Iraq on the second day of the New Year with Dr. Amara, Former Superintendent of Boston Public Schools and United Planet Board member, and my son, Troy Santulli.  Moments before we boarded the plane in Istanbul for the final leg of the journey, we received word that the Iranian General had been killed in a drone attack in Baghdad.  Close to a week later as we were on our way to the airport at 3:30 AM in Erbil, Iraq, we discovered that Iran had launched rockets towards US military bases nearby just an hour or two earlier.

During the visit, my son’s high school friend called us in the middle of the night.  “You need to get out, what are you doing there?” he questioned with a panic-filled voice.

Earlier that day, Dr. Amara, Troy, Sangar (our local partner), and I enjoyed a wonderful lunch of local delicacies, including kebab and delectable warm bread.  Locals came up to say hello and asked for photos together.  We shook hands and even embraced each other.  We walked around the historic streets of Erbil, one of the longest continually inhabited cities in the world, admiring the rich blend of ancient culture and modernity.

Besides the Citadel (UNESCO World Heritage site), Erbil is home to not just one, but three White House replicas — built by local citizens.  Erbil consistently ranks as one of the safest cities in the world (as high as fifth in some lists).

Photo by Agreen Duhoki on Unsplash

We visited ancient monasteries and the sacred Yazidi religious site of Lalish. As a sign of respect (at Lalish), all visitors must go barefooted. Walking (and sometimes hopping or running) on wet, icy cold stones in the middle of winter was an experience, to say the least. (Dr. Amara thought it best to wait in the car for that part of the journey!)

The world perceived a very different Iraq than the one we experienced on the inside.

The most remarkable experience, however, was discovering the warmth, humility, and kindness of the Iraqi people. We had the honor to address a class at the University of Salahaddin (top-ranked public university). The energy of the students – their yearning to contribute to their community, their region, and the world – was palpable and infectious. There was a buzz in the air; I’ve never experienced that level of hunger and passion across an entire student body.

During our visit, we met with university presidents, school headmasters, teachers, professors, students, and people of all walks of life. Without exception, they all expressed a genuine desire to build closer connections and friendships beyond their borders.

Meeting with university presidents and leaders in Iraq to discuss building bridges and empowering and connecting students.

One university leader in Duhok shared about the devastation and tragedies of Mosul under ISIS. We learned of the horrific genocide of the Yazidi people in Sinjar. We will never be able to truly understand the suffering that the people there (especially in the affected areas of the ISIS caliphate) endured, but we stand in awe of the courage that enabled them to survive the unthinkable and that continues to sustain them in the aftermath.

The Iraq that we came to know (not only one of the cradles of human civilization but one of the cradles of human courage) was very different from the images and perceptions that we harbored before our visit from the outside.

So what were we doing there?

Trying to forge a way to help us dig past the fear that sometimes paralyzes us. Building bridges. Opening up lines of communication and partnership. Our mandate at United Planet is doing what we can to bring people together in positive ways. We won’t solve local or global challenges anytime soon unless we can work together, grow to see our differences as treasures to appreciate, and uncover our fullest potential as individuals and communities through sharing with and uplifting each other.

How?

United Planet is working with schools, universities, and community organizations in Iraq (and around the world) to connect them with others (of like-mind and hearts) around project-based learning virtual exchange focused on cultural sharing and solving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). When and where possible, we provide opportunities for an in-person exchange through shared service, learning and immersion (our Quest program from one week to one year in more than 30 countries and growing).

Meeting with teachers, administrators and students at schools in Iraq…exploring partnership together!

We are each other’s best hope for the future, but first, we have to come together.

Partnership (teamwork), SDG #17, the last of the goals, provides the foundation for all the SDGs that come before it.

Going to Iraq restored our faith in humanity. Humanity is 99.99% good. We need to empower and connect youth (and the young at heart), ignite their passion as change agents, and prepare them to embrace the world they’ll be inheriting so that they can ensure a better world for generations to come.

When in doubt, do something positive. Our biggest risk is not to act when needed.

Join us.

Dave, Dr. Amara, and Troy were visiting Iraq to build partnerships for United Planet’s Project-based Global Virtual Exchange programs — that brings classrooms from many different corners of the world to connect with each other through technology! If you know a school which would like to join, please contact us for more.