A Dialogue Session with His Eminence Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako
The Legal Clinic of the Humanitarian Nineveh Relief Organization (HNRO) held a dialogue session entitled “Emerging Democracy in Iraq: Prospects for Strengthening Citizenship and Consolidating the Rule of Law and Human Rights” with His Eminence Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako on the morning of Saturday, 26 September 2026, at the Cultural Hall of St. George’s Church in Bartella.
The session opened with a welcoming address, followed by an introduction to His Eminence the Cardinal by Mr. Youhanna Yousef Toma, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Humanitarian Nineveh Relief Organization. He spoke about the objectives of the session and the importance of its theme in light of the challenges facing Iraqi society, as well as the importance of strengthening a culture of citizenship and the rule of law.
Cardinal Sako then addressed the main themes of the session, touching on a number of key issues, including democracy, citizenship, equality, freedom, and human rights, as well as the relationship between religion and politics and the role of the elite in building a democratic society and consolidating the rule of law and state institutions.
His Eminence emphasized the importance of upholding the principles of equal citizenship, respect for freedoms, and the protection of human rights, highlighting the need to regulate the relationship between religion and the state and its policies, based on the understanding that religion represents a spiritual and moral dimension for the individual and society, while the state is responsible for managing public affairs in accordance with the Constitution and the law and in a manner that serves the public interest.
His Eminence stressed the need for genuine political will and meaningful reforms, including efforts to develop the Constitution in a way that strengthens the civil character of the state, combat corruption, sectarianism, and political power-sharing, and build a government based on competence and integrity, with serving citizens and advancing the public interest at the forefront of its priorities.
He also noted that consolidating democracy cannot be achieved through constitutional and legal provisions alone, but also requires a firmly rooted national and societal culture, effective institutions, and elites willing to assume their responsibility for promoting the values of citizenship and equality and strengthening respect for the rule of law and institutions.
Following the presentation of the session’s main themes, the meeting featured a number of interventions, questions, and inquiries from the participants, which His Eminence the Cardinal addressed as part of an interactive dialogue covering a range of issues related to the topic of the session.
At the conclusion of the session, His Eminence the Cardinal was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation and Recognition in appreciation of his participation and his role in promoting legal and democratic culture and raising community awareness of these issues.
The session was attended by a number of university professors, lawyers, legal professionals, activists, and individuals interested in legal, cultural, and community affairs.
