On August 3rd, Yazidis gathered in their homeland of Sinjar to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide. Held at the Yazidi Genocide Memorial in Solagh, the event was attended by thousands of Yazidis representing the diverse mosaic of the community. Nadia Murad was present at the ceremony, sitting before the “Grave of Mothers,” where Nadia’s own mother...
Today, as we commemorate this painful 10-year anniversary, we recall the genocide committed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) against the Yazidis. We are here in the heart of our greatest sorrow, the land of genocide, Sinjar, to remind the world of this harsh reality. Recognizing the tendency to only remember the genocide on this day without acknowledging...
The resilience of survivors must be met with resolve from the international community. In August 2014, I experienced the darkest side of humanity. When ISIS surrounded my village in northern Iraq, my family’s simple life was thrown into chaos and destruction. Within days, my brothers, Jalo, Pise, Massoud, Khairy, Elias, and Hajji were killed. A few days later, ISIS...
On August 3rd, the Yazidi community will come together in Sinjar to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the genocide carried out by ISIS. Yazidis are unified in this commemorative effort, and over the past several months, Nadia’s Initiative has joined a coalition of over 50 local organizations, survivors, families of the victims, community leaders, and activists to...
In a decision published last week, the German Federal Court of Justice confirmed the conviction against ISIS member Taha A.J. for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed against Yazidi victims in Fallujah, Iraq. In November 2021, the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt convicted Iraqi national Taha in a landmark trial for his enslavement and abuse...
Wednesday, February 01, 2023 Nadia Murad and Angelina Jolie made a joint visit to the Sinjar region of northern Iraq to mark progress made to redevelop the region and highlight the needs of survivors eight years after the Yazidi genocide at the hands of the Islamic State (ISIS). The pair spent a day visiting Nadia’s village, her former school, and her childhood...
Memorializing the victims of genocide is essential to the Yazidi community, many of whom remain displaced within Iraq more than eight years later. The final design for the cemetery and memorial was selected through extensive consultations with survivors both displaced and returned and aims not only to honor those who were lost, but also to act as a catalyst for the...
Today the British government formally acknowledged the ISIS perpetrated acts of genocide against the Yazidi people nine years ago. Over 4,000 Yazidis were killed in the attacks on Sinjar, Iraq and over 6,000 women and children were enslaved. The young girls and women were subjected to horrendous sexual violence. Nadia Murad, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and President...
Nadia’s Initiative (NI) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), have recently completed the “Yazidi Genocide Memorial,” a monument to those who suffered and died at the hands of ISIS during the genocide, and a place of remembrance and healing for those families who were never...
On Wednesday I had the honor of attending the opening ceremony of the Yazidi Genocide Memorial in Solagh, Sinjar. The memorial was built by Nadia’s Initiative in partnership with the International Organization for Migration in Iraq and funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, to remember the 2014 genocide. The slaughter of the Yazidi community was one...