College of Engineering Organizes Awareness Course on the Culture of Tolerance and Countering Extremism

The Women’s Affairs Unit at the College of Engineering, University of Samarra, organized an awareness course titled “The Culture of Tolerance and Rejection of Extremism among Female Students.” The event took place over two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, January 27th and 28th. The sessions were presented by Assistant Professor Dr. Zainab Abdul-Majid Khalaf and Assistant Lecturer Amna Mahdi Abdul-Majid, who explored the psychological, social, and intellectual dimensions of establishing community peace within the university campus.
The course began with a session led by Assistant Lecturer Amna Mahdi Abdul-Majid, who focused on the importance of establishing tolerance as a fundamental pillar for building a safe educational environment. She explained that this concept goes beyond mere forgiveness to include a blend of mutual respect and acceptance that strengthens social bonds and enhances the mental health of students. In doing so, she drew inspiration from Prophetic guidance and Quranic verses that establish forgiveness as a path to dignity and piety.
On the other hand, Mahdi warned of the dangers of extremism in its various intellectual, social, and outward forms. She noted that the phenomenon of bullying represents a dangerous facet of extremism, as it oversteps the boundaries of respect and inflicts psychological and physical harm on others. This necessitates the activation of a comprehensive protection system where the roles of the family and the educational institution integrate to replace exclusionary behaviors with values of cooperation.
In a related context, Assistant Professor Dr. Zainab Abdul-Majid Khalaf addressed the second pillar of the course, discussing mechanisms for transforming the values of tolerance into mature behavior based on deep respect for the other’s right to be different—without compromising personal constants and values. She indicated that extremism is often a product of the absence of critical thinking and a sense of marginalization, which leads to dire consequences starting with isolation and ending with the disintegration of the social fabric.
Furthermore, Dr. Khalaf emphasized the pivotal role of female university students in leading change and spreading a culture of diversity by activating tools for conscious dialogue and information verification. She concluded the course by affirming that embracing difference represents intellectual richness and true strength, transforming individual responsibility into a collective consciousness that protects society and ensures its future stability.
It is worth noting that this course was conducted in implementation of the National Plan for Women, Peace, and Security (2025-2030), Protection Pillar/Paragraph (2): Concepts of Justice and Human Rights, under the supervision of Ms. Reem Ali Ahmed, Head of the Women’s Affairs Division at the University of Samarra.