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Iraqi Youth Spotlight: What does it mean to be Iraqi?

April 30, 2014 by Adrienne Chuck

Iraq is one of the youngest countries in the world, with a youth demographic that makes up a significant portion of the population. According to recent data from the CIA and the United Nations, over half of Iraq’s population of 30 million is younger than 25. This massive youth population has endured insurmountable hardships since the 2003 invasion, but despite these obstacles, Iraqi youth are proud of their heritage and care deeply about their country’s future. The Iraqi Youth Spotlight highlights the many initiatives that today’s youth are undertaking to build a brighter future for themselves and their society.

What does it mean to be a citizen of Iraq? Most media today will focus on the divisions between Shi’a Arabs, Sunni Arabs, and Kurds, but Iraq’s diversity is much more extensive than just these three groups. Within and outside of these spheres exist an array of religious, ethnic and linguistic identities. In Iraq, one will find Christian, Baha’i, Yezidi, Shabak, Faili Kurd, African, Turkmen, Sabian-Mandaeans, Sarliya/Kakaiya, Palestinian, and Kawliyah (gypsy) communities throughout the country.

In many cases, these identities are anything but static. For instance, most Turkmen– a group of non-Arab, non-Kurdish people in Iraq ethnically related to Turkish people– speak a South Azeri dialect in addition to Arabic. Yet, the majority would also identify themselves as Sunni or Shi’a Muslims. Christians in Iraq commonly draw from the Chaldean, Assyrian, Armenian, and Syriac ethnic groups, with smaller representation from Kurdish, Arab, and Turkmen communities. And in Sunni-dominated Kurdistan, the Shiite minority have their own name– the Faili Kurds– as well as speak their own dialects (Faili Luri and Bakhtiari).

Such rich diversity can be difficult to translate into an organic national identity, but that has not stopped a group of young Iraqis from gathering regularly to discuss what it means to them to be a citizen of their country. Organized by the Masarat Institute and under the banner of the We Are All Citizens Initiative, 20 or so young Iraqis, each representing a different religious or ethnic minority in Iraq, meet together to have open dialogue on the challenges and opportunities of diversity in their country, as well as clear up existing misconceptions they may have about various Iraqi minorities. These “Citizenship Ambassadors” each have an “embassy” in their respective governorates across the country, where they hold activities to support their purpose, as well as promote interfaith and social dialogue. They are actively engaged in local politics, and frequently reach out to council members to forward their cause.

The Citizenship Ambassadors exhibit a level of tolerance that is difficult to find in any country. The Ambassadors take turns visiting a different holy place of worship together to better acquaint themselves with the practices and pillars of their friends and peers. They extend these visits to, as well as host events for youth across the country, promoting pluralism and peaceful dialogue amongst young Iraqis. At the end of last year, the movement had 400 volunteers. With any luck, it will only gain more traction.

Sources:
http://masaratiraq.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Minorities-in-Iraq.pdf
http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=5726
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/10/iraqi-youth-combat-sectarianism.html#
http://iraqicitizens.org/?lang=en

Iraqi Youth Spotlight: Connecting Iraq’s literary heritage with today’s youth

April 17, 2014 by Adrienne Chuck

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Iraq is one of the youngest countries in the world, with a youth demographic that makes up a significant portion of the population. According to recent data from the CIA and the United Nations, over half of Iraq’s population of 30 million is younger than 25. This massive youth population has endured insurmountable hardships since the 2003 invasion, but despite these obstacles, Iraqi youth are proud of their heritage and care deeply about their country’s future. The Iraqi Youth Spotlight highlights the many initiatives that today’s youth are undertaking to build a brighter future for themselves and their society.

Iraq has a long and rich literary tradition: Mesopotamia, the fertile area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers deemed the cradle of civilization that gave rise to numerous empires, is also the credited birthplace of the written language. Around 3200 BC, history’s first civilization emerged in Sumer, forming city-states and developing advanced irrigation and agricultural systems. To pass down their knowledge from generation to generation, the Sumerians developed a system of cuneiform script which they etched on clay tablets, even creating a system of laws to abide by. This later led to the flourishing of Sumerian poetry and literature.

Yet, in today’s Baghdad, most schools are short on funds and libraries are scarce. Literacy has dropped since the war began, and the young people seem to be more distracted by cellular phones than books in the past few years.

Ali Al-Makhzomy (twitter handle: @makhzomy) has a unique vision for Baghdad. The young Iraqi seeks to return the city not necessarily to 3200 BC, but to the 1930s, ‘40s, or ‘50s, a time he insists “was more civilized.” Makhzomy became acquainted with the Iraq from 60 plus years ago through the books passed down to him by his father, and hopes that his peers will also acquaint themselves with Iraq’s history through literary means. And he has a plan.

Makhzomy’s approach is simple: create inviting environments where Iraqis can be reintroduced to their culture and history. Both Public Radio International and The Washington Post have covered Makhzomy’s impressive efforts in Baghdad, setting up “informal libraries” in popular cafes frequented by Iraqi youths. He has filled trendy cafes with history books, poems, and novels to incentivize young people to start reading again. And that is only one of Makhzomy’s projects: on the side, he mobilizes volunteers to help preserve the country’s historic sites, organizes a children’s cinema, and holds an open dialogue where people can come together and discuss various cultural topics– all under the Iraqi Culture Day initiative.

One thing is certain: Makhzomy is indeed the “Proud Mesopotamian” he declares himself. In modest yet effective ways, he is leaving his imprint on his country, and sharing his vision of the future of Iraq with the rest of the world. As he says, linking Iraq’s ancient past with today’s youth will “give them a reason to stay.”

Sources: http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-04-11/young-iraqi-hopes-unite-and-heal-his-country-through-books
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/young-iraqi-hopes-books-will-stop-his-peers-from-migrating/2014/04/08/e8e6574a-ba94-11e3-9c3c-311301e2167d_story.html

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