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Nobody’s Listening: Supporting the Yazidi Community 10 Years After Genocide

Date: Monday, January 29, 2024 / Time: 2:00pm - 3:30pm EST

Center: Middle East North Africa Center

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Almost a decade following the ISIS-perpetrated genocide against them, the Yazidi community faces considerable challenges in seeking justice. A substantial number of Yazidis have yet to return to their homes out of concern for their safety, instead living in displaced person camps in the Kurdistan Region. And while the Iraqi government has taken important steps toward reparations, hurdles in implementation have made it difficult for Yazidis to receive support. Meanwhile, criminal proceedings against perpetrators have been largely inaccessible to survivors, and discussions of amnesty within Iraq’s parliament may further complicate efforts to seek justice. With the 10th anniversary of the genocide on the horizon, the international community must consider what more can be done to improve protection and deliver justice for vulnerable Yazidis. This anniversary impacts many communities in Iraq and necessitates renewed focus on the unique needs of each in the coming months.

On January 29, USIP and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide hosted a discussion on the current challenges facing the Yazidi community and possible ways to strengthen their ability to recover from genocide. The conversation also marked the closure of the USIP-hosted “Nobody’s Listening” exhibit, which commemorates the Yazidi genocide through immersive media displays that explore the genocide’s devastating impact on Iraq’s persecuted communities and their cultural heritage.

In person attendees were invited to join us immediately following the event for a reception and guided tours of the exhibition led by exhibit curators from 3:30-5pm EST.

Continue the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #WeAreListening.

Speakers

Lise Grande, welcoming remarks
President and CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace

Victoria Taylor, keynote remarks
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Haider Elias 
President, Yazda Global Organization

Sarhang Hamasaeed
Director, Middle East Programs, U.S. Institute of Peace

Pari Ibrahim 
Founder and Executive Director, Free Yezidi Foundation

Ambassador Beth Van Schaack
Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, U.S. Department of State

Naomi Kikoler, moderator 
Director, Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum 
 

 

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