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| Project Date | January 2025 |
| Project Title | Syrian Families Food Basket Appeal to Westminster Abbey |
| Benefactor | Westminster Abbey through Fr. James Hawkey |
| Beneficiaries | The Archdiocese of Erbil – 1000 youth and kids |
| Amount | US$ 31,399 (GBP 25,000.00) |
| Category of Support | Pastoral Care – Food program for IDPs |
| Description | The Archdiocese has implemented the Syrian Families Food Basket Program, originally launched through an appeal to Westminster Abbey, to support around 200 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugee families residing in Erbil, particularly in the district of Ankawa. These families, who fled the war in Syria in hopes of resettlement abroad, continue to face severe economic hardship due to limited job opportunities, exploitative labor conditions, and the high cost of living—including expensive residency permit renewals. With little to no access to consistent income, they struggle to meet essential needs such as food, rent, education, and healthcare. Thanks to the generosity of Westminster Abbey, the Archdiocese was able to implement this four month food assistance program from January to May 2025, providing each family with a monthly basket valued at $30 and containing basic food staples like rice, couscous, lentils, beans, sugar, pasta, and tea. This intervention not only alleviated urgent food insecurity but also brought dignity and relief to families under immense pressure. The program was carried out by local volunteers and overseen by the Archdiocese, with monthly reporting on beneficiaries and expenditures. The Archdiocese remains deeply grateful for the solidarity and compassion extended to these displaced families in their time of need. |
| Closing Date | June 2025 |
| Project Date | January 2025 |
| Project Title | Syrian Families Food Basket Appeal to Westminster Abbey |
| Benefactor | Westminster Abbey through Fr. James Hawkey |
| Beneficiaries | The Archdiocese of Erbil – 1000 youth and kids |
| Amount | US$ 31,399 (GBP 25,000.00) |
| Category of Support | Pastoral Care – Food program for IDPs |
| Description | The Archdiocese has implemented the Syrian Families Food Basket Program, originally launched through an appeal to Westminster Abbey, to support around 200 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugee families residing in Erbil, particularly in the district of Ankawa. These families, who fled the war in Syria in hopes of resettlement abroad, continue to face severe economic hardship due to limited job opportunities, exploitative labor conditions, and the high cost of living—including expensive residency permit renewals. With little to no access to consistent income, they struggle to meet essential needs such as food, rent, education, and healthcare. Thanks to the generosity of Westminster Abbey, the Archdiocese was able to implement this four month food assistance program from January to May 2025, providing each family with a monthly basket valued at $30 and containing basic food staples like rice, couscous, lentils, beans, sugar, pasta, and tea. This intervention not only alleviated urgent food insecurity but also brought dignity and relief to families under immense pressure. The program was carried out by local volunteers and overseen by the Archdiocese, with monthly reporting on beneficiaries and expenditures. The Archdiocese remains deeply grateful for the solidarity and compassion extended to these displaced families in their time of need. |
| Closing Date | June 2025 |
| Project Date | January 2025 |
| Project Title | Syrian Families Food Basket Appeal to Westminster Abbey |
| Benefactor | Westminster Abbey through Fr. James Hawkey |
| Beneficiaries | The Archdiocese of Erbil – 1000 youth and kids |
| Amount | US$ 31,399 (GBP 25,000.00) |
| Category of Support | Pastoral Care – Food program for IDPs |
| Description | The Archdiocese has implemented the Syrian Families Food Basket Program, originally launched through an appeal to Westminster Abbey, to support around 200 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugee families residing in Erbil, particularly in the district of Ankawa. These families, who fled the war in Syria in hopes of resettlement abroad, continue to face severe economic hardship due to limited job opportunities, exploitative labor conditions, and the high cost of living—including expensive residency permit renewals. With little to no access to consistent income, they struggle to meet essential needs such as food, rent, education, and healthcare. Thanks to the generosity of Westminster Abbey, the Archdiocese was able to implement this four month food assistance program from January to May 2025, providing each family with a monthly basket valued at $30 and containing basic food staples like rice, couscous, lentils, beans, sugar, pasta, and tea. This intervention not only alleviated urgent food insecurity but also brought dignity and relief to families under immense pressure. The program was carried out by local volunteers and overseen by the Archdiocese, with monthly reporting on beneficiaries and expenditures. The Archdiocese remains deeply grateful for the solidarity and compassion extended to these displaced families in their time of need. |
| Closing Date | June 2025 |
| Project Date | 2025 |
| Project Title | Funding support Request for the Vision Library Security System at the CUE |
| Benefactor | Bereich Weltkirche und Migration Deutsch Bichofskonferenz Bonn |
| Beneficiaries | Over 700 Students, faculty, and future community user of the CUE Vision Library |
| Amount | € 10,000.00 |
| Category of Support |
Education – Catholic University in Erbil |
| Description |
The Vision Library at the Catholic University in Erbil (CUE), inaugurated in September 2023 with support from Vision Education, has rapidly become a central academic resource for the university’s growing student body. Home to over 20,000 printed and digital volumes, the library serves more than 700 students from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds, offering a peaceful space for academic inquiry, dialogue, and resilience in the heart of Iraq. To protect this vital intellectual hub, CUE seeks to install a Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) security system that will safeguard its resources and enhance operational efficiency. The system includes RFID gates, tags, staff workstations, and training for librarians, ensuring professional library management aligned with international standards. This project represents an investment in long-term access to knowledge and academic excellence in a region striving to recover from conflict and displacement. With strong support from its partners, CUE continues to serve as a beacon of coexistence and educational opportunity for Iraq’s next generation of leaders. |
| Closing Date |
| Project Date | Academic Year 2025 – 2026 |
| Project Title | Pope Francis Scholarship 4: Additional 50 scholarships for 4-year scholarship program Catholic University in Erbil (CUE), 2024/25 to 2027/28 |
| Benefactor | ACN Königstein Germany |
| Beneficiaries | 50 students of CUE for Academic year 2025 – 2026 |
| Amount | US$ 142,500.00 |
| Category of Support | Education – Catholic University in Erbil |
| Description | The Pope Francis Scholarship 4 represents a strategic investment in peacebuilding and future leadership through education in Iraq. With the support of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Königstein, Germany, this initiative will provide 50 full scholarships for students enrolled at the Catholic University in Erbil (CUE) for the academic year 2025–2026 as part of a four-year degree program running from 2024/25 to 2027/28. As the first Catholic university in Iraq, CUE serves as a beacon of hope and a vital anchor for the Christian presence in the country. Through its strong academic programs, values-based formation, and community-driven mission, CUE empowers youth—particularly from marginalized communities—to build a future in their homeland. The scholarships enable students who would otherwise lack access to higher education to pursue degrees that equip them with critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills urgently needed in a society burdened by decades of instability. Beyond academia, CUE fosters reconciliation, social cohesion, and interfaith understanding through public events, cultural exchange, and outreach. For many families, the opportunity for their children to attend CUE and its affiliated Catholic schools becomes a compelling reason to remain in Iraq. With ACN’s generous backing, this scholarship program not only shapes well-rounded graduates, but also strengthens the Christian community’s resolve to persevere and lead in rebuilding Iraqi society with values rooted in justice, peace, and intellectual freedom. |
| Closing Date |
| Project Date | 2025 |
| Project Title | 2025 Catechism Programme: Growth in Faith |
| Benefactor | ACN Königstein Germany |
| Beneficiaries | Over 1,000 children and youth (ages 5–18) and 100 catechism teachers across 7 catechism centers in Erbil |
| Amount | € 35,000.00 |
| Category of Support | Pastoral Care – Catechism |
| Description | The Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil continues to be a beacon of hope and faith for Iraq’s Christian community, especially the youth who remain the future of the Church in a post-conflict society. The 2025 Catechism Programme, titled “Growth in Faith,” seeks to renew and deepen the spiritual life of over 1,000 young people between the ages of 5 and 18, supported by a dedicated team of 100 volunteer catechists across seven parishes. Under the leadership of Archbishop Bashar Warda and Fr. Samir Slewa, the Catechism Central Committee has designed a dynamic year-round programme that blends weekly catechetical instruction with community events, family engagement, spiritual retreats, and summer faith camps. The programme also includes workshops for catechists, biblical exhibitions, Palm Sunday celebrations, and a vibrant Christmas gathering. These activities aim not only to educate in doctrine but also to nurture prayer, community belonging, and a strong Christian identity amid social uncertainty. With external fund support, the program covers all essential resources such as transportation, textbooks, multimedia tools, training workshops, catechist stipends, and youth events. The activities is vital in shaping resilient, faith-rooted youth who are inspired to remain in their homeland and serve the Church and society as disciples of Jesus Christ. |
| Closing Date |
| Project Date | 9–12 July 2025 |
| Project Title | Ankawa Youth Meeting, AYM 2024 for 1500 – 1600 youth in Erbil 21-24 Aug 2024 |
| Benefactor | ACN Königstein Germany |
| Beneficiaries | Approximately 750–800 Christian youth participants (ages 18–30) from Iraq and the diaspora |
| Amount | € 40,000.00 |
| Category of Support | Pastoral Care – Youth Ministry |
| Description | The Ankawa Youth Meeting (AYM) is the largest annual Christian youth gathering in Iraq, uniting hundreds of young believers from across the country and the diaspora to celebrate their faith, deepen their spiritual journey, and foster a resilient Christian identity. Initiated by Archbishop Bashar Warda in 2013, this multi-day event has become a cornerstone of the Archdiocese’s youth ministry, offering formation, fellowship, and inspiration amidst the challenges of life in a post-conflict Iraq. AYM 2025, under the theme “I Will Give You Shepherds” (Jeremiah 3:15), focuses on vocational discernment—encouraging youth to consider God’s calling, whether to priesthood, religious life, or active lay leadership in the Church. The program includes catechesis, lectures, Masses, group discussions, worship, and cultural and sports activities. Young participants are selected by their parish priests, monks, or sisters, who accompany them in a 10-month preparatory journey leading up to the July event, ensuring deeper engagement and spiritual mentoring. The Archdiocese hosted up to 800 participants, including youth from Baghdad, Mosul, Duhok, Kirkuk, Basra, and international communities from the diaspora (Canada, Australia, Europe, and the U.S.). The event creates a transformative space where isolated youth find belonging, faith formation, and courage to remain rooted in their Christian identity and homeland. The external donor support ensured the full implementation of this vital pastoral mission done annually and inspires a new generation of Iraqi Christians to carry the Church into the future. |
| Closing Date | 27 Nov 2025 |
| Project Date | Academic Year 2025 – 2026 |
| Project Title | 4-year Pope Francis scholarship (PFS1) program for 150 students studying at Catholic University in Erbil (CUE), September 2021/ September 2025 (scholarship extension for 16 students to 2025/2026) |
| Benefactor | ACN Königstein Germany |
| Beneficiaries | 16 students of CUE for Academic year 2025 – 2026 |
| Amount | US$ 45,600.00 |
| Category of Support | Education – Catholic University in Erbil |
| Description | The Pope Francis Scholarship 1 (PFS1) program has supported 150 students at the Catholic University in Erbil (CUE) from September 2021 to September 2025, enabling them to complete their four-year undergraduate degrees. However, 16 Architecture students, enrolled in a mandatory five-year program, require an additional year of support to finish their studies in 2025–2026. As agreed with ACN under the credit-based framework (2 credits per student per year), scholarship credits unused by students who exited the program were reassigned to replacement students. This ensured fairness and continuity, but it also produced a group of students whose credits will expire before graduation, thus creating the need for this final-year extension. This extension request ensures that all remaining Architecture students—who have progressed faithfully and successfully through the scholarship program—can complete their degrees without financial interruption. Supporting their final year not only honors the original spirit and commitment of PFS1 but also reinforces CUE’s mission to form competent Christian professionals who can contribute meaningfully to Iraq’s future. These young architects represent a crucial investment in local capacity, community resilience, and the long-term sustainability of Christian presence in the region. |
| Closing Date |
| Project Date | Academic Year 2025 – 2026 |
| Project Title |
Pope Francis Scholarship 5: Additional 50 scholarships for 4-year scholarship program Catholic University in Erbil (CUE), 2025/26 to 2028/29 |
| Benefactor | ACN Königstein Germany |
| Beneficiaries | 50 students of CUE from outside Erbil for Academic year 2025 – 2026 |
| Amount | US$ 142,500.00 |
| Category of Support |
Education – Catholic University in Erbil |
| Description |
The Pope Francis Scholarship 5 (PFS5) is a critical continuation of the Church’s mission to keep Christian youth in Iraq by expanding access to higher education at the Catholic University in Erbil (CUE). In response to the deepening economic crisis affecting Christian families—particularly those living in villages outside Erbil—this scholarship initiative seeks to provide 50 full four-year scholarships beginning in the academic year 2025–2026. These young people face severe financial hardship due to months without government salaries, rising living costs, and limited employment opportunities, leaving higher education entirely out of reach without external support. PFS5 aims to bring these students into the CUE community, where they can receive a values-based Catholic education that equips them with professional competence, moral grounding, and the resilience needed to rebuild their communities.By enabling academically capable but financially vulnerable students from rural Christian villages to study at CUE, PFS5 strengthens the University’s mission of forming the next generation of Christian leaders in Iraq. As the country faces political instability and economic decline, quality education becomes a lifeline for families deciding whether to remain in their homeland or emigrate. With this new cohort, CUE will extend its reach to underserved Christian populations, preserving the critical mass of Christian students on campus while promoting hope, stability, and long-term community sustainability. Through ACN’s partnership, PFS5 becomes an essential investment in safeguarding Christian presence, fostering social cohesion, and empowering young Iraqis to build dignified futures rooted in faith and opportunity. |
| Closing Date |