Basrah Anti-Violence Campaign

The American Islamic Congress (AIC) and CeaseFire partnered in May 2008 to begin work on the Basrah Anti-Violence Campaign (BAVC). The Campaign represents the first comprehensive attempt to treat violence in Iraq’s second largest city as a public health problem and is producing a grassroots, democratic movement that views violence as a treatable problem—requiring active engagement by both community leaders and community members. To date, the partnership between AIC and CeaseFire has been remarkably successful. Campaign highlights include:

• Sponsored BAVC Peace Soccer Championship (picuted right), bringing together thirteen BAVC-sponsored youth soccer teams promoting peace between and among Khamza Meel and Al-Jumhuriya areas of the city. Team coaches and players also attended BAVC-hosted trainings.
  
  
• Mediated more than ninety-five conflicts in two areas in Basrah—Khamza Meel and Al-Jumhuriya— that would have “likely” or “very likely” led to direct acts of lethal violence. Further, these conflict interventions may have directly prevented conflict escalation between tribes and/or other groups.
  
  

• Delivered nearly sixty non-violence trainings to almost 1,600 tribal, religious and community leaders. (pictured right).
  
  
• Designated 1,000 “Ambassadors of Peace,” or BAVC supporters, committed to spreading a message of non-violence. As an example, each of thirty-one BAVC-trained tribal leaders has a minimum of 1,000 followers with whom they regularly engage during tribal council meetings and beyond, thus the BAVC message will directly reach 31,000 tribal members as a result of BAVC training.  
  
  

• Held more than 1,600 meetings with political, non-governmental, religious, tribal and clan leaders to garner support for the BAVC and strengthen future Campaign deliverables. (pictured right)
  
  
• Sponsored BAVC Safe Election Campaign before, during and after March 2010 national elections, bringing together political leaders and community members with the aim to decrease acts of violence during the election period.
  
  

• Hosted Peace Poetry Contest with open call for submissions for residents of Khamza Meel and Al-Jumhuriya areas. Winnerreceived a cash prize had his poem used during BAVC public messaging campaign, to alsoinclude banners, fliers and music featuring strategic peace-related messages. (pictured right).

Pictured Left: BAVC – Training AIC staff, January 2010; Picutred Right: BAVC Safe Election Campaign training for women participants, March 2010