In Duhok, an art workshop improves community well-being and builds cohesion through activities that enhance dialogue, peace-building and coexistence.
On August 2014, ISIS captured Sijnar District in northern Iraq, killing 2000-5000 Yezidis and driving 200,000 civilians to flee their homes, mostly to the Sinjar Mountains where they were stranded without food and water. Most of the families lost immediate members, relatives and friends, impinging on their psychological health.
Hanifa, Suaad and Ritta were among the civilians who left their homes. Suaad’s father and brother were captured and killed by ISIS, and she was traumatized and thought about suicide. “There has always been a painful feeling inside me after the terrible events and experiences we encountered, I felt so lonely and I was continually sitting alone to the extent that I couldn’t stand anymore. I wanted to commit suicide to end this pain and get rid of this life, because I could not stop thinking of my father and brother,” said Suaad.
Hanifa, Suaad and Ritta attended one of the IRD/Blumont workshops in Duhok aimed at improving community well-being and building cohesion through activities that enhance dialogue, peace building and co-existence. The workshop was conducted by the Parwar Organization for Developing Culture and Education (PODCE). IRD/Blumont was able to assist three local NGOs through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-funded Community Cohesion in Duhok (CCD) project, which aims to increase NGO capacity to build social cohesion and restore social trust. PODCE was one of the selected NGOs.
Ritta (on the left) with her IDP and host community friends.
At the beginning, participants thought they could not interact with participants from different religions and communities, but when they joined the workshop their thinking changed significantly and they became friends with people from other religions and ethnicities.
“It was difficult for me in the beginning to join a workshop with different religions and communities, as I thought they might be same as ISIS but after my participation, I interacted with the participants. My thoughts were totally changed, therefore I encouraged my family and friends to join this kind of workshop,’’ stated Hanifa.
Ritta, a Christian participant, said, “I befriended two Yezidis during the workshop, and after the workshop we met in our homes every week, without sensitivity over our religions and nationality. I learned from the workshop that community cohesion is possible, and I taught my children to make relationships with people from other religions and communities. In addition, during the parent-teacher meeting in school I suggested they have their children get involved in Art activities to express peace, and teach them the values of diversity and social cohesion. These activities can even be funded by parents.”
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