The Returned

Film Director, Nate Fisher’s film about middle class Iraqi’s who had to flee their country is titled “The Unreturned”  I am writing about four professionals we visited in Najaf who were away from Iraq for many years and have now returned to help her recover and grow.

Akeel Yassen Al Kufi, PhD, now President of the University of Kufa, spent decades in Wales as a professor doing cancer research on ramifications of depleted uranium, among other things.  A scientist and researcher in his heart he responded to a request from the Ministry of Education in Iraq to take on the presidency of the University of Kufa. The mandate was to strengthen the faculty, upgrade teaching methods, and network with the international education community.  Dr. Akeel returned to Iraq in the spring of 2011 to assume the presidency of the University.  Since that time there is building going on at Kufa both new buildings and new programs. Kufa now ranks number one on some measures of Universities in Iraq. He has been to Minneapolis for an intensive four day visit with many department heads at the u of M, the International Student Scholar Office, and  Meredith McQuaid, Associate Vice President and Dean for International Programs. Dr. Akeel wants to have some of his best students study in graduate programs in both the US and Europe and then return to teach at Kufa.  He is energetic and very busy. He makes time to mentor some graduate students doing research at Kufa in the sciences.

Zuhair Sharba, Engineer, spent years working in Russia, away from his home country. He has now  been the President of the Najaf Chamber of Commerce for the last several years. The Chamber represents 300 companies and over 5000 individual business owners in Najaf. It employs 50 people. During his tenure Mr. Sharba has conceived of and implemented an International Mediation Center located in Najaf. Its “judges” have been trained internationally and make up an institution that foreign companies commit to using if a dispute comes up in their contract with an Iraqi company or arm of the government. President Sharba tells us that before 2003 there was no foreign investment in Iraq.  Now investors from Korea, France, Netherlands, Turkey and Germany have begun to invest in Iraq.

President Sharba has also developed a small business development center (SBDC) at the Chamber of Commerce which is training entrepreneurs wanting to open their own businesses. The economy of Najaf is growing at a rate of 11.8% per year, the highest of any city in Iraq. Tourism is a major industry with Najaf now boasting 300 hotels. The Chamber, under Mr. Sharba’s leadership, has opened a Woman’s Training Program which targets support to woman opening their own businesses.

Sami Rasouli returned to Iraq in 2005 after 20 plus years away. Feeling his country needed him and there was room to now make a difference he sold his business in Minneapolis and returned to the Najaf area to found the Muslim Peacemaker Teams (MPT.)  MPT provides the foundation and network that supports the Water for Peace program and the exchange of visitors between Najaf and Minneapolis. MPT has supported research on the study of themes of peace in Islam, has trained young people in non-violent principles, taught over 100 families how to avoid Cholera contamination, and been a consistent voice for peaceful relationships between American and Iraqi civilians. MPT is the citizen support NGO for the Sister City program with Minneapolis, MN.

 Huda xxxxxxx, after being imprisoned for political activism in the early 2000’s left Iraq, living in Jordan, England, and the Netherlands over the course of nine years.  In 2009 she returned, completed her interrupted education, and is now a professor of Sharia law at the University of Kufa.  She is active in supporting leadership development among woman, speaks English, and has an international perspective after her years abroad.  She has returned to contribute.