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Under the supervision of Umid Khoshnaw, the Governor of Erbil, and with the presence of Prof. Dr. Edrees Muhammed Tahir Herki, the Rector of Erbil Polytechnic University, along with the university’s vice Rector, several members of the university council, general directors, and the director of the environmental services department in Erbil Governorate, World Earth Hour was observed at the first campus of Erbil Polytechnic University.The event was organized by the Aviar Environmental Awareness Organization in coordination with Erbil Polytechnic University and several environmental institutions. It aimed to raise environmental awareness in Kurdistan, particularly in the capital, Erbil. During the event, the lights were turned off for several minutes, and candles were lit to symbolize the occasion.

Then, the Governor of Erbil gave a speech, praising the Aviar Organization, Erbil Polytechnic University, and the organizers of the event. He also appreciated all the institutions, organizations, and activists working to protect the environment in Erbil. He thanked them for their efforts in preserving nature and keeping the environment clean. The Rector of Erbil Polytechnic University talked about the importance of protecting the environment. He also said that the Kurdistan Regional Government took necessary steps to address climate change.

 Earth Hour was a global event with participation from more than 150 countries. Every year, it took place worldwide on the last Saturday of March after 8:00 PM.The purpose of this event was to highlight environmental problems that people faced daily. These issues included low environmental awareness in communities, excessive electricity use, too many cars in cities, pollution in public places, waste, air pollution, contamination of drinking water sources, and a lack of strong environmental awareness

The understanding agreement between Porterville College in California and Mergasor Technical Institute, part of Erbil Polytechnic University, ended with a capacity-building training course like a curtain between educators and teachers worldwide. The training course had 70 university teachers, including 60 from Erbil Polytechnic University and 10 from the Soran Independent Education Administration. The course officially continued from November 15, 2024, to March 10, 2025.

The training course was conducted online using the Canvas program and Zoom platform. It had live sessions once a week, and lessons were delivered weekly. The course included five modules: capacity building, designing an effective classroom, teaching and understanding students, delivering impactful lessons, and identifying cultural, economic, social, and systemic barriers to quality education. It also covered educational theories and global pedagogy.

The training materials were in English and translated into Kurdish. Professor Elyssa Quinn from Porterville College delivered the lectures, while Dr. Talib Mohammed Sharif Omar from Mergasor Technical Institute provided support and supervision.The course was a source of happiness and improved the teachers’ skills. It ended successfully, and soon, in a special ceremony, participants would receive an international certificate.