About Us

"Green Cane" for Sustainable Development is an Iraqi non-governmental organization founded by young residents of the Mesopotamian Marshes. Its mission is to restore the marshland ecosystem and empower local communities to lead the path toward sustainable development. The organization operates within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, working to protect the cultural and environmental heritage of the Iraqi Marshes.

Green Cane Organisation for Sustainable Development Strategy 2026–2030

Working to restore the Mesopotamian Marshes as a self-renewing natural ecosystem, while strengthening the role of local communities in leading the path toward sustainable development and protecting the natural and cultural heritage of the marshes.

The organisation's overall strategic vision

The Four Strategic Objectives

The First Strategy

The second strategy

The Third Strategy

Increasing participation of the Marshes’ communities in decision making on policies affecting them, from the international to the local level

Reducing water pollution and increasing the level of water in the Marshes, protecting their environmental heritage

Giving back dignity and compensations to people of the Marshes who have been harmed and displaced since the 1990s by state action

• Forming community committees composed of Marshlands residents.

• Engaging youth, women, and persons with disabilities.

• Conveying the residents' demands to the government and parliament.

• Strengthening the participation of civil society in water negotiations.

• Organizing meetings with embassies and international organizations.

• Bringing the voices of Marshlands residents to international conferences.

. Establishing markets for local products and handicrafts.

. Supporting artisans and women and developing their skills.

. Organizing training workshops on traditional crafts.

. Developing cultural and eco-tourism.

. Constructing tourism facilities that feature traditional architectural styles.

. Organizing language courses for the people of the Marshlands.

. Establishing local museums dedicated to the heritage of the Marshlands.

. Producing documentaries and hosting art exhibitions.

. Encouraging cultural and educational visits to the Marshlands.

The Fourth Strategy

Promoting local development through eco-responsible tourism and other economic initiatives led by communities

• Monitoring water levels and quality.

• Conducting water research and testing.

• Reducing pollution, including sewage and medical waste.

• Advocating for improved water allocations.

• Establishing nature reserves and environmental parks.

• Organizing cleanup campaigns for the marshlands.

• Limiting the use of plastics and promoting sustainable practices.

• Documenting the damages and displacement experienced by the inhabitants of the marshlands.

• Conducting research and gathering testimonies and evidence.

• Seeking reparations and environmental justice.

• Establishing a museum to document the history and suffering of the marshland inhabitants.

• Raising media awareness regarding the history of the marshlands and their people.

The Marshes of Southern Iraq • World Heritage