On Tuesday morning, January 7, 2025, the Media and Government Communication Division of the Optometry Technology Department organized an awareness-raising scientific seminar entitled “Reducing Illegal Immigration.” The seminar aimed to highlight the dangers of this phenomenon and its negative repercussions on individuals and society. Participants included the Head of the Optometry Technology Department, Professor Dr. Haider Al-Shawi, Dr. Amin Jihad Al-Waeli, Instructor Haider Sabah Ghloum Redha, and Mr. Shabbar Hamoudi Wahab. They delivered speeches and lectures on the various dimensions of illegal immigration, warning of its dangers and the real impact it has on the lives of young people and the stability of society. Students from the department also participated, offering constructive student opinions that rejected the idea of immigration and chose to remain in Iraq. For his part, the Dean of the Najaf Technical Institute, Professor Dr. Haider Hassan Al-Abdali, emphasized his rejection of any ban on illegal immigration, stressing that the institute should stand with and support the youth. Their energy is harnessed, and efforts are made to rehabilitate and nurture them, protecting them from the clutches of human trafficking mafias that prey on them and endanger their well-being. The main French symposium discussed the factors contributing to this phenomenon, addressing the economic dimension and its accompanying unemployment and limited opportunities, in addition to the personal and national dimensions. The symposium also addressed the lack of support and rehabilitation for young people, and the absence of alternative activities to empower them, including protection from exploitation, thus hindering their ability to contribute to building a more stable and secure future.
