The persecution of the Yazidi people
The origin of this minority religion dates back to 2000 BC.
Currently, there are no exact population numbers, but it is estimated that there are about 500,000 Yazidi people in Iraq, in addition to another 200,000 distributed throughout the rest of the world, according to the Yazidi Human Rights Organisation-International. Historically, the Yazidis lived mainly in communities in present-day Iraq, Turkey and Syria, and they also had a significant presence in Armenia and Georgia.
In August 2014, the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) launched an offensive against Sinjar, in Iraq. The occupation lasted more than four years and has left a trail of destruction, with 5,000 men and boys killed and more than 7,000 girls and women kidnapped and used as sex slaves (UN data).
After years of aggression and violence, the Yazidi people have returned home carrying the burden of terrible damage that is hard to overcome. The trauma of years of violence and brutality has affected all their lives, and returning to normalcy is a complex challenge.
The Mirzo Music Foundation works to support victims of war, sexual slavery and Islamic fundamentalism who currently live in refugee camps or have returned to their homes and are trying to rebuild their lives.
