Baghdad: The Ministry of Culture is organizing a seminar to discuss the role of digital media in supporting the cause of Yazidi survivors. The Center for Studies and Research at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, in cooperation with the Department of Fine Arts and the Cultural Diversity Department, held a specialized seminar on Tuesday, September 1st, entitled ‘The Role of Digital Journalism in Internationalizing the Yazidi Survivors’ Cause: From Media Coverage to International Justice,’ at the Ishtar Hall in the Ministry’s headquarters.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the seminar was moderated by researcher Anas Abdul Karim and presented by researcher Nibras Nabil Abdul Wahid. It reviewed a research paper that addressed the role of digital journalism in documenting the crimes committed against the Yazidis, supporting efforts for justice and international accountability, the importance of journalistic archives in preserving evidence and memory, the role of survivors’ testimonies, and Iraqi and international efforts in bringing the issue to global public opinion.
The Assistant Director General of the Department of Arts, Khalid Rahman Jassim, emphasized the importance of artistic and journalistic documentation in preserving national memory and conveying the Yazidi cause to the international community. The Assistant Director of the Center for Studies and Research, Inas al-Qabbani, pointed to the importance of scientific research and cultural and artistic production in documenting the Yazidi tragedy, highlighting the suffering of survivors, and promoting the values of coexistence and diversity.
For her part, the Director of the Cultural Diversity Department, Ghaydaa Muhammad Ali, stressed the importance of the symposium in shedding light on the genocide perpetrated against the Yazidis, preserving national memory, promoting a culture of peace and coexistence, achieving justice for victims, and preventing the recurrence of such tragedies. A documentary photographic exhibition was held on the sidelines of the symposium, depicting aspects of the tragedies suffered by the Yazidis and serving as a visual extension of the symposium’s themes and its message of documentation and memory preservation.