Symposium Highlights Mam Jalal’s Role in Unifying Iraqi Opposition

President Jalal Talabani Foundation

A recent Symposium Calls for Archiving Mam Jalal’s Opposition Conference Speeches.

A symposium held as part of efforts to document Iraq’s political history has called for the collection and archiving of President Mam Jalal Talabani’s speeches at Iraqi opposition conferences, while highlighting his pivotal role in unifying the opposition’s ranks.

The symposium, organised by the President Jalal Talabani Foundation on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, featured a research paper by Dr Adalat Abdullah entitled “Iraqi Opposition Conferences and Mam Jalal’s Unifying Discourse: The London Conference as a Model.”

The event formed part of a series of intellectual and academic activities organised by the Foundation and was attended by academics, politicians, writers and others interested in Iraq’s political and historical affairs.

The study examined President Mam Jalal’s role in organising and unifying the Iraqi opposition, as well as his contribution to developing its programmes and plans for the period following the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. It also highlighted his sustained efforts to achieve the shared objectives on which Iraq’s future was to be built.

Particular attention was given to the Iraqi opposition conference held in London, where President Mam Jalal played a pivotal role. The study examined his efforts to bring the opposition forces’ positions closer together and contribute to shaping Iraq’s political landscape following the fall of the former regime.

The research also emphasised the importance of collecting and preserving President Mam Jalal’s speeches delivered at various Iraqi opposition conferences. It proposed establishing an oral history archive to document the testimonies and recollections of political figures and activists who participated in those conferences alongside him.

According to the study, such an archive would help preserve an important chapter of Iraq’s political history and make it accessible to future generations.

The symposium concluded with calls for greater efforts to encourage researchers to undertake further studies into this aspect of President Mam Jalal’s political struggle, highlighting his role in unifying the Iraqi opposition and creating broader opportunities for researchers and those interested in Iraqi political history to further explore and document his contributions.


PUKMEDIA