Inside The Lotus Flower’s Annual Peace Conference
The Lotus Flower’s Annual Peace Conference for 2026 proudly brought together 144 participants – including representatives from government institutions, international agencies, local and international NGOs, academia and civil society.
Held under the theme ‘Building Peace Together: Celebrating Women’s Leadership and Collective Impact,’ the conference on June 30th provided an inclusive space for dialogue, networking and shared learning, while strengthening collaboration around the Women, Peace and Security agenda across the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
Attended predominantly by women (91 women to 53 men), speakers included Dr Khanzad Ahmad, Secretary General of the High Council of Women and Development, Kerstin Spriesterbach of the German Consulate General in Erbil and Susan Leichtweiss from GIZ, as well as Majid Said Salih from the Governor’s Office.
The speakers highlighted the importance of women’s meaningful participation in leadership, governance and peacebuilding, and additionally, a panel discussion – The Reality of Women’s Roles in Decision-Making Positions – explored the barriers that continue to prevent women from reaching positions of influence.
The panel discussions resulted in a range of recommendations, including:
Strengthening institutional policies that promote women's meaningful participation in leadership and decision-making positions.
Expanding mentorship, leadership development and capacity-building opportunities for women and young female leaders.
Enhancing collaboration between government institutions, civil society organisations, and development partners to create an enabling environment for women's leadership.
Addressing social and institutional barriers that limit women's participation through advocacy, awareness-raising and policy reforms.
Ensuring that women's voices are not only represented but actively influence policy development, peacebuilding initiatives and governance processes.
A major highlight of the conference was our awards ceremony, which recognised five exceptional women who have made a real difference in their communities. The awards were split into five different categories across Leadership and Governance, Human Rights & Advocacy, Science Technology and Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment, Environmental Conservation and Climate Action.
Our inspiring winners:
Science, Technology and Innovation Award: Bihar Sleman Ahmed
Bihar was honoured for opening the doors of science and technology to young girls across the Kurdistan Region.
Human Rights and Advocacy Award: Manar Albdulameer
Manar was recognised for more than 15 years of using journalism as a powerful tool to defend the rights of women and girls.
Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Award: Nafiya Mohammed Murad
Nafiya was celebrated for transforming a small jam factory in Domiz Camp into a source of income, independence and opportunity for women throughout her community.
Leadership and Governance Award: Suzan Sefer Ismail
Suzan, founder of DAK Organization, was honoured for dedicating her life to protecting and empowering Yazidi women, girls and survivors.
Environmental Conservation and Climate Action Award: Dr Lailan Hassan Fadladeen
Lailan received the award for her pioneering work in sustainable agriculture and for creating new opportunities for women in the field.
The winners were selected through a merit-based process carried out in collaboration with a jury committee from the High Council of Women and Development and the University of Duhok. Each recipient will now implement a community initiative related to their award, helping bring further lasting change.
We were delighted that the conference received extensive media coverage, with several TV channels and social media platforms reporting on the event.
The conference was delivered through The Lotus Flower’s Women, Peace and Security Center as part of our SPACE project, funded by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and supported by GIZ – both of whom we are very thankful to.
We are also extremely grateful for the coordinated efforts of multiple teams that made the event possible – and we look forward to building on this vitally important work across the region.