Nobody’s Listening and Yazda event at the American University of Baghdad (AUIB)
Date: September 25, 2024
Time: 02:00 to 03:45 pm
Place: The American Space, AUIB
Remarks on the role of higher education in truth-telling and prevention of atrocities
Yazda: Welcoming
02:00 – 02:15
- Dr Rick Roberts Dean of the College of International Studies and Director of the American Space, American University in Baghdad: Speaking about the role of technology and VR in educating people about genocide and genocide prevention.
02:15– 02:30
- Salah al-Jabri, UNESCO Chair on Genocide Studies in the Islamic World: The role of technology in genocide studies and memorialization highlighting historic atrocities in Iraq, namely the Yazidi Genocide, Camp Speicher, Anfal Campaign and the atrocities against the Marsh Arabs.
02:30 – 02:45
- A representative from the Ministry of Education: To speak about the work of the Ministry of Education in raising awareness on ISL crimes, and the possibility of collaborating to integrate the VRs into the curriculum.
02:45 – 3:00
- Q&A – take questions from the audience.
Remarks on the need for a transitional justice process in Iraq
3:00 – 3:15
- Natia Navrouzov, Yazda Executive Director: Present Yazda’s work on justice and the necessity to approach the Yazidi genocide through the lens of transitional justice, especially to address the root causes of the genocide.
03:15 – 03:20
- Shireen Khero, Yazidi Survivors Network member and an advocate for the Yazidi survivors’ rights: Shares her experiences as an advocate for transitional justice in Iraq and the impact of the VR for advocacy from a survivor’s perspective.
03:20 – 03:45
- Q&A: Take questions from the audience and closing of the conference
The Director of the UNESCO Chair for Genocide Prevention Studies at the University of Baghdad visited the Iraqi Center for Documenting Extremism Crimes at the Al-Abbas’s Holy Shrine. The two sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the field of combating extremism, preventing genocide, and promoting peace, tolerance, and coexistence among sects, religions, doctrines, and ethnicities in Iraqi society. The Director of the UNESCO Chair stressed the importance of primary and university education in addressing extremism and genocide, teaching peacebuilding and coexistence, and the importance of developing appropriate educational curricula for this purpose. The two parties discussed the importance of the Iraqi Center for Combating Extremism’s participation in the upcoming international conference of the UNESCO Chair entitled “Memory of Pain in Iraq” documentation, geography, social, interpretive, philosophical, and economic dimensions. They agreed to cooperate jointly in holding training workshops, seminars, and dialogue sessions on peacebuilding and addressing extremism and genocide in the near future.