Register to attend online: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sH35EXuPSPC7qFXQ9m_7DQ

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In August 2014, the self-styled Islamic State (IS) committed genocide against the Yezidi population in Iraq. Over 400,000 Yezidis were forced out of their homes, and thousands were killed or enslaved. 10 years on from the genocide, thousands of Yezidis are still missing, and two-thirds of the population remain displaced. UNITAD, the UN’s investigative team set up to hold IS members to account, was closed in September 2024 although its task was far from complete.

Dr Inna Rudolf, Mirza Dinnayi, and Alannah Travers will consider the situation for Yezidis 10 years after the genocide. They will explore why so many are unable to, or do not want to, return home. They will highlight the barriers standing in the way of justice. And they will uncover the discrimination and daily challenges facing the Yezidi community.

In this panel discussion moderated by Sarah Sanbar, the speakers will offer recommendations of what needs to be done by both the international and national community to support the Yezidi population going forward.

Lost & Found: Stories of sanctuary and belonging

This event will be presented as part of Lost & Found: Stories of sanctuary and belonging, a free arts and ideas programme from King’s Culture. Lost & Found foregrounds stories of sanctuary - exploring themes of refuge, resilience, and the search for safety in a world facing significant social, political, and environmental challenges.

The programme has been inspired and informed by King's life-changing research and co-created with artists and communities from across London and beyond. It reflects King’s College London’s status as a University of Sanctuary, as well as an ongoing commitment to improving the lives of those affected by injustices and addressing the forces that prevent peace and security.

Speakers

Dr Inna Rudolf is a Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) and a postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Divided Societies. Within the XCEPT consortium, she is analysing the implications of identity politics and the mobilisation of violent memories in conflict-affected borderlands. She received her master’s degree in political science and Islamic studies in 2012 at the University of Heidelberg, specialising in Conflict Resolution, Peace Building and Political Islam. In addition to her field work in Iraq, she lived in Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia and Palestine for several years.

Mirza Dinnayi is a renowned Yezidi human rights advocate, the 2016 Laureate of the Golden Stauffer-Medaille, the 2019 Laureate of the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, the founder of the House of Coexistence in Sinjar/Iraq, and a former Advisor to the Iraqi President for the Affairs of Non-Muslim Minorities. Mirza has dedicated his whole life to saving victims of the Iraq war. Having co-founded the German-based NGO, Air Bridge Iraq, he personally evacuated women and children from territories controlled by IS, transported them to safety, and delivered food and water to isolated areas.In 2023, Mirza received the US Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Award for his role in defending the rights of minorities and in promoting peace, coexistence and diversity in Iraq.

Alannah Travers is a British-German journalist and consultant based in Iraq between 2021 and 2023, who previously supported the Coalition for Just Reparations (C4JR), an alliance of 34 Iraqi NGOs calling for comprehensive reparations for survivors of atrocities perpetrated during the ISIL conflict in Iraq. She is currently pursuing an LLM in Human Rights, Conflict and Justice, at London’s SOAS University, specialising in IHL and use of force, prohibition of torture, and international protection of Human Rights. Her research is focused on the intersection of Islamic Law and Human Rights, with an emphasis on post-conflict societies. Read more: alannahtravers.com

Sarah Sanbar is a researcher in the Middle East and North Africa division investigation human rights abuses in Iraq. She previously worked for the ICRC in the Protection of the Civilian Population unit, focusing on conflict and climate change, open-source investigations, and war crime prevention. Prior to joining ICRC, she worked as a Protection Specialist with the Danish Refugee Council and with Nonviolent Peaceforce in Iraq, where she focused on IDP protection and post-ISIS reconciliation. She has additional experience working with displaced populations in Jordan, Greece, and Palestine. Sarah holds a MA from King’s College London, a MA from SciencesPo Paris, and a BA from Claremont McKenna College.