Qellayta Youth Centre for Diversity and Culture

Sustainable Peace Foundation’s Qellayta Youth Centre for Diversity and Culture is a landmark youth hub in west Mosul, based in the historic building of the British Cultural Centre from the 1940s a rare space where Mosul’s long tradition of learning, cultural exchange, and public dialogue is being reactivated for a new generation. It is not simply a venue; Qellayta Youth Centre for Diversity and Culture is designed as a living platform for young women and men to meet, create, learn, and lead initiatives that strengthen social cohesion and celebrate the city’s rich diversity.

At the heart of Qellayta Youth Centre for Diversity and Culture are two fully equipped meeting rooms that make the Centre practical as well as inspiring. These rooms are set up for workshops, dialogue sessions, trainings, and coordination meetings, and they can be opened into each other to form a larger hall capable of hosting a mini-conference, public discussion, or multi-stakeholder event. This flexible design enables the Centre to shift smoothly from small-group work to larger gatherings supporting everything from youth-led discussions and community engagement sessions to professional trainings and cultural programming.

Qellayta Youth Centre for Diversity and Culture also includes a guest house that extends the Centre’s accessibility and sustainability. It features two furnished rooms, each with two beds, fully equipped for comfortable stays. The guest house can be rented in an Airbnb-style arrangement, providing an option for visiting facilitators, artists, partners, or travellers who want to stay in west Mosul while supporting a community-focused space. This feature helps the Centre remain active, welcoming, and financially resilient while bringing new connections and opportunities into the local ecosystem.

Equally central to the Centre’s vision is sustainability. Qellayta Youth Centre for Diversity and Culture is environmentally friendly and powered by solar energy, reflecting a practical commitment to responsible resource use and greener community infrastructure. In a city rebuilding and reimagining its future, the Centre’s reliance on solar power is both a functional choice and a statement: that youth spaces can be innovative, resilient, and aligned with the values of environmental stewardship.

Most importantly, Qellayta Youth Centre for Diversity and Culture represents a free, open, and safe space for youth. It is a place where young people can belong without fear of exclusion, where differences are treated as a source of strength, and where creativity becomes a bridge rather than a boundary. Cultural and artistic events are held at Qellayta Youth Centre for Diversity and Culture on a regular basis creating an environment that encourages expression, critical reflection, mutual respect, and collaboration. In a city rebuilding trust and opportunity, the Centre stands as a visible commitment to youth leadership, cultural vitality, peaceful coexistence, and sustainable development rooted in Mosul’s history and focused on its future.