The faithful of Australia work to open a Catholic university in Erbil – An education against hate and weapons

Catholics in Iraq are ‘challenging’ the
Islamic State not with weapons or violence but through education and teaching,
thanks to the contribution and support of Australian Catholic University. This
October courses will begin at the Catholic University of Erbil, which was
desired by the Chaldean Church in Iraq as a concrete way to aid the Christian
youth in the Middle East.

In recent days, Archbishop Bashar Matti
Warda of Erbil for Chaldeans met with
representatives of Australian Catholic University (ACU) and the President of
the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
and Archbishop Denis James Hart of Melbourne in order to better coordinate the
necessary aid to complete construction on the university located in the city
which is mostly Christian. The Chaldean Church provided the 30,000 square
metres where the university will stand.

The goal from the beginning was to create a private
university open to all, which meets the needs of the people. The university
will also serve as centre for scientific research. Almost three years after the dramatic events
that swept the northern regions of Iraq and led to thousands of Christian
refugees to flee from Islamic State jihadists to Erbil, the University will be
a concrete sign of support to young Iraqi Christians, inevitably tempted to
leave the country and leave behind the horrors of war and the uncertainties and
threats that influence their future.