A botanical garden, often referred to as a botanic garden, serves as a meticulously curated space housing a documented collection of living plants. These gardens serve multiple purposes, including scientific research, conservation efforts, public display, and educational endeavours. One distinguishing feature of botanical gardens is the systematic labelling of plants with their botanical names, providing valuable botanical information to visitors. These gardens can encompass a wide range of specialized plant collections, such as cacti, succulent plants, herb gardens, and species from specific regions worldwide. Facilities like greenhouses and shade houses are commonly found within these gardens, housing unique collections like tropical plants, alpine species, and exotic flora.

The University of Duhok is proud to introduce its Community Botanical Gardens' Projects, including the Bashiqa Botanical Garden, Krimles Hamadania Botanical Garden, Telkef Botanical Garden, and the Mother Botanical Garden. These innovative projects have been initiated with a core objective: to support the preservation and cultivation of local plant species. Through these efforts, the university aims to contribute to the conservation of the rich plant diversity found in the region and promote a deeper understanding of these valuable resources among the local community.

The Mother Botanical Garden at the University of Duhok Main Campus is a multi-faceted project that serves educational, research, and conservation purposes, while also contributing to the university's commitment to environmental awareness and cultural preservation.

The Ninawa Plains of Iraq: How Culture is Helping to Restore Peace' short film describes the role of cultural and religious practices in the post-conflict reconstruction of Iraq’s most ethnically and religiously diverse region. The film tells the story from the perspective of minority groups living in the Ninawa Plains, weaving together footage from interviews with local people. During its onslaught, ISIS deliberately targeted minority communities, including Christians, Kakai, Shabaks, Turkmen and Ezidi, and destroyed their sources of livelihood, such as farmlands and livestock, and the heritage and sacred religious sites of these communities. Hundreds of thousands of people fled ISIS’ persecution and displaced as a result of this atrocity.  ➤ EXPLORE MORE