Under the patronage of H.E. Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the University of Duhok (UOD), through the College of Humanities and the Pêşkçî Center for Human Studies, in collaboration with the Lalish Cultural and Social Center, is organizing the 4th International Scientific Conference titled “The Genocide of the Ezidis 2014 between Memory and Justice.” The conference serves as a comprehensive scientific and humanitarian platform dedicated to documenting, analyzing, and understanding the genocide committed against the Ezidi community in 2014 by the so-called ISIS organization. It aims to explore the historical, social, cultural, psychological, and legal dimensions of this tragedy, while promoting justice, healing, and preservation of collective memory. By bringing together scholars, survivors, human rights advocates, and policymakers, this conference underscores the University of Duhok’s commitment to advancing academic research, promoting social justice, and safeguarding cultural and human heritage.
The Genocide of the Ezidis 2014 between Memory and Justice (GEMJ)
Under the patronage of H.E. Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the University of Duhok (UOD), through the College of Humanities and the Pêşkçî Center for Human Studies, in collaboration with the Lalish Cultural and Social Center, is organizing the 4th International Scientific Conference titled “The Genocide of the Ezidis 2014 between Memory and Justice.” The conference serves as a comprehensive scientific and humanitarian platform dedicated to documenting, analyzing, and understanding the genocide committed against the Ezidi community in 2014 by the so-called ISIS organization. It aims to explore the historical, social, cultural, psychological, and legal dimensions of this tragedy, while promoting justice, healing, and preservation of collective memory. By bringing together scholars, survivors, human rights advocates, and policymakers, this conference underscores the University of Duhok’s commitment to advancing academic research, promoting social justice, and safeguarding cultural and human heritage.
Date: April 2026 ,30–29
Venue: Convention Center, University of Duhok, Zakho st. 38, 1006AJ.
Conference Languages: Kurdish – Arabic – English
Preface
The crime of genocide remains engraved in the collective memory of nations, carrying with it the painful stories of the past whose effects persist for generations. Revisiting the past can help uncover the causes of genocide, understand its dimensions, and work toward preventing its recurrence in the future.
The conference aspires to be an interdisciplinary intellectual forum bringing together researchers and academics from diverse fields of knowledge - including History, Sociology, International law, Psychology, Anthropology, and Peace and Conflict studies - alongside survivors of the genocide, representatives of civil society, human rights defenders, and local and international policymakers.
The core vision of the conference is reflected in the following:
Documenting the crimes: Establishing a well-documented and accurate historical record based on live testimonies, legal investigations, and field data, thereby enhancing global awareness of the scope and depth of the tragedy.
Holding perpetrators accountable: Supporting local and international judicial efforts to prosecute those responsible for genocide and to ensure accountability through legal insights, evidence, and testimonies that promote justice.
Reviving collective memory: Resisting oblivion and marginalization by preserving the narratives of victims and integrating them into public consciousness, while reinforcing the Ezidi narrative as an integral part of Kurdish, Iraqi, and human history.
Transitional justice and recovery: Opening dialogue on mechanisms for redress and healing — psychological and communal — through programs of psychosocial support, social reintegration, trust rebuilding, and the material and symbolic reconstruction of Ezidi society.
Shaping future policies: Facilitating dialogue among policymakers, human rights organizations, and the academic community to develop sustainable policies for minority protection and the prevention of future atrocities, both nationally and internationally.
Objectives
- Scientific Documentation of the Genocide: Conducting academic research and gathering firsthand testimonies to shed light on the crimes committed against the Ezidis by ISIS.
- Learning from International Experiences: Benefiting from the experiences of advanced countries in the fields of documentation and archival preservation.
- Promoting Digital Archiving: Strengthening the academic trend toward employing modern technologies in preserving collective memory.
- Building Research and Humanitarian Networks: Connecting researchers and survivor communities through research and humanitarian networks that amplify the voice of victims and foster joint work in the fields of justice, documentation, and recovery.
- Protecting Ezidi Cultural and Religious Heritage: Safeguarding Ezidi cultural and religious heritage against erasure and destruction by highlighting the role of art, language, and religion in reinforcing identity after genocide.
- Analyzing Psychological and Social Impacts: Examining the psychological and social effects of genocide on survivors-particularly women and children - and discussing mechanisms for individual and collective recovery.
- Exploring Legal and Human Rights Dimensions: Addressing legal aspects and challenges of accountability at both local and international levels, with emphasis on transitional justice.
- Raising Local and International Awareness: Increasing awareness on the magnitude of the tragedy suffered by the Ezidis while emphasizing the global responsibility to combat genocide and prevent its recurrence against any group in the future.