February - March 2015. Back to the Middle East

The new year saw me return to the Middle East to complete the Community Mobilisation Tool Kit consultancy for UNICEF.

I didn’t appreciate that being Mediterranean linked countries, Lebanon, Jordan and of course N Iraq all had extremely cold winters….it was easy to see how those refugees or IDPs living in camps or temporary settlements would suffer in the freezing cold of winter.

Iraqi Kurdistan reflects a region rich in so many ways

Whilst this has been an amazing opportunity to learn about an area of the world I knew little about, my over riding impression is of a region that had previously been rich, economically, culturally, historically and culinary.

Almost everyone told me how wonderful Syria had been before the revolution and certainly Northern Iraq/Kurdistan reflected a country that once was highly developed……I doubt many of us appreciate the extent to which the wests actions in the region have impoverished so many, to enrich so few.

Practicing Mapping Exercises with the new CM tool kit

Of course the main aim of my time in the region was to test out the new tool kit with stakeholders from the various agencies working in the region and I am hopeful that we have been able to create a tool kit that will support improved and far more participatory programming, not only in WaSH, but in any of the sectors working in the region.

However I couldn’t help but be impressed by the culinary traditions across the region and trips through various souks, street food, home cooking and restaurants highlighted the wealth of food available and the wonders of Middle Eastern cuisine.

The foods on show in Kurdistan were amazing. Such a wealth of diverse tastes, spices, fruits, and preserves and such amazingly friendly people too.
However, the real jewel in the culinary crown lies in Lebanon and specifically Beirut, what an amazing city, what incredible cuisine.

But despite all this, my over riding impression is of a region wrapped in conflict that passes generations. The militarisation of the whole popuation is obvious for the foreseeable future all generations will live within a context of almost permanent conflict….one wonders how, in such a case, peace is possible.

To me, this means that

The militarisation of the whole popuation is obvious — The militarisation of the whole population is obvious

for the foreseeable future all generations will live within a context of almost permanent conflict….one wonders how, in such a case, peace is possible.

Have a look at the link below for a discussion of the impact of the Iran/Iraq war on the region today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06fkm3g