Thuraya helps Nature Iraq conservationists stay connected as they document their journey down the Tigris River September 16, 2013 Thuraya Telecommunications Company is supporting Nature Iraq to raise awareness of the conservation of natural resources and cultural heritage of the Tigris and Euphrates River Valley. Thuraya will be sponsoring the team with the Thuraya IP+ broadband terminal as well as airtime to help them stay connected as they embark on their inaugural journey down the river. Commencing from September 15 to November 8, 2013, Nature Iraq together with the Nature Iraq Foundation, and the Waterkeepers Iraq, will recreate a journey down the Tigris River, starting in Southeastern Turkey, travelling through Iraq to the South. In honour of the River’s cultural heritage, the team will be using traditional boats and vessels, like the tarada, kalak and guffa, to document and generate awareness towards the threats facing the waters of the Tigris as well as the unique cultural heritage of Mesopotamia. The project seeks to showcase the importance of the Tigris River as well as connect conservation issues with daily life and spur more people to take action towards conserving this vital waterway and ecosystem. T. Sanford Jewett, Vice President of Marketing at Thuraya said: “Thuraya is proud to sponsor the Tigris River Flotilla. Waterways and rivers are often out of reach or unserved by terrestrial communication networks. The project underscores our commitment towards providing innovative communication equipment for people who need to stay connected in remote places. We believe that the Thuraya IP+ will provide the Nature Iraq team with an added layer of security and protection in addition to facilitating their documentation and reporting with internet connectivity. The Thuraya IP+’s portability and “always-on’ mobile broadband internet access will enable them to stay in close contact via VoIP, email and social media updates with their other teams and their family throughout the journey.” Azzam Alwash, Founder and President of the Board of Directors of Nature Iraq said: “We are excited to be working with Thuraya as they provide the additional layer of communication that we need to raise awareness for this project globally. Our journey will enable us to reach out to the riverside communities in Iraq and Turkey to educate them on the river’s ecology and the importance of developing a sustainable community. We will also be collecting data on water quality in the river to learn more about its ecology and threats to its ecosystem. We will be using the Thuraya IP+ as a communication and collaborative tool to document our findings and educate global audiences as we establish, grow, and maintain this vital riverside community.”