Ishtar Center for Democracy Support held a closed roundtable discussion at its headquarters in Baghdad titled: “The Role of the Iraqi Diaspora in Shaping Iraq’s Future.” The session brought together experts, academics, political figures, heads and representatives of relevant institutions, as well as a group of distinguished Iraqi expatriates. The following keynote speakers presented their insights, followed by an open dialogue and a brainstorming session with the participants: • Dr. Saad Salloum – A comparative analysis of the role of Iraqi diaspora communities abroad. • Joseph Youhanna – Shared his practical experience in Australia, where he became the first Iraqi-Australian to receive nearly 10,000 votes in the Australian federal elections. • Dr. Ali Al-Yaqubi – Discussed the experience of Iraqi communities in France and proposed mechanisms to strengthen the role of expatriate elites in national and diplomatic affairs. The roundtable concluded with several key recommendations, foremost among them the need to establish a comprehensive institutional framework to harness the expertise of Iraqi communities abroad in support of national development programs, public policies, and public diplomacy. Participants also emphasized developing mechanisms for structured knowledge exchange between diaspora communities and Iraqi authorities, ensuring effective use of professional and political expertise overseas, in addition to policy measures that enhance the political participation of Iraqi elites in the diaspora.
