ROJDA – IN LIGHT OF MEMORY: HÁWAR.help OPENS MULTIMEDIA EXHIBITION IN BERLIN ON THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE YAZIDIS

“The people should be remembered. And above all, the strength and light of this religious community, which has always been stronger than all the atrocities committed against the Yazidis. It’s about finally telling our own story.” – HÁWAR.help founder Düzen Tekkal

With a moving opening ceremony, HÁWAR.help launched the exhibition ROJDA – In Light of Memory. It is part of the Yazidi Community Archive – a project initiated by our human rights organization and supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, dedicated to preserving the stories and memories of the Yazidi community.

The exhibition, on display at bUm Berlin until May 5, features touching photographs, personal objects, and multimedia testimonies of Yazidi life – documented and narrated by survivors themselves. A special focus is placed on Yazidi women, who, as chroniclers of their own history, become agents of change.

ROJDA as a Resonance Space: an Opening Evening of Resilience, Music, and Testimony

The evening began with an emotional musical performance: musicians Aamer Bajo, Enwer Naif, and Ismail Khudida opened with the song Qadî Šilo – a traditional Yazidi piece.

The evening was hosted by Shila Behjat, journalist and author. As a member of the religious minority of the Bahá’í, who have themselves been subjected to painful persecution, she brings a personal connection to the topic. In her opening remarks, she emphasized the importance of speaking in one’s own voice: “The greatest challenge has always been that we, the affected, were never allowed to speak for ourselves – this project changes that.”

Düzen Tekkal, founder and chair of HÁWAR.help, emphasized in her speech: “For the Yazidis, it is unprecedented that their religion and culture are being documented. Unlike other monotheistic religions, the Yazidis do not have sacred texts. Their traditions are passed down orally from generation to generation.” She highlighted that ROJDA creates a space for resonance – for memory, cultural self-assertion, and dignity. The exhibition makes visible what was long kept hidden. “Hardly anyone ever made the effort to document anything about them. And because there is so little material, there’s much room for speculation, projection, distortion of belief, and hostility – even leading to genocide.”

The defining moment of the evening were the opening speeches of genocide survivors Jihan Alomar and Layla Mirza. They powerfully recalled the violence of 2014 – and the resilience of the Yazidi community. “We stand here as two survivors and want to tell you what it means to survive. This event is not only a place for history, but also a space of dignity, light, and strength – strength that ISIS tried to take from us,” emphasized Layla. Jihan described the ongoing hatred and discrimination Yazidis face, both in Iraq and the diaspora: “Every day I’m reminded that I’m not welcome as a Yazidi. Every day – even at school.”

Voices from Culture and Society – and a Collective Remembrance

Among the guests were not only survivors and contributors but also numerous personalities from civil society, culture, and the media.

Düzen Tekkal thanked everyone involved in the project: “This exhibition is our heart’s project. Thank you to everyone who made it possible – bUm Berlin, our exhibition team, the German Federal Foreign Office, elbarlament, Bakhtyar Hassan for the workshops, exhibition designer Paul Bieri, the entire HÁWAR.help team – and most of all, the Yazidi community, without whose trust this archive would not exist.”

A Glimpse into the Archive: Telling, Preserving, Making Visible

The exhibition ROJDA – In Light of Memory portrays the lived reality of the Yazidi community before, during, and after the genocide of 2014 committed by the so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS). It sheds light on the cultural heritage of a threatened community – and brings the voices of survivors into view.

A central element of the exhibition is the active involvement of the community: In photography workshops, Yazidi women documented their daily lives from their own perspective – becoming chroniclers of their own history.

Archivist Rênas Babakir, who traveled from Iraq for the event, and photographer Noori Issa shared personal insights into the creation of the archive: “The archive introduces us to the history and the voices of the Shingal mountain. The Aarchive tells us what it means to return and rebuild our home from scratch. The archive is a place of wisdom and of knowledge.” 

Tradition and Remembrance: The Light of Memory

As a symbol of remembrance and spiritual renewal, human rights activist and content creator Wail Tozo lit a traditional Yazidi oil lamp and recited a Qewl prayer. This act symbolically underscored the project’s intention: remembrance as an act of survival. “With kindness, respect, and open hearts. Today, we are here to preserve our history through this archive about our faith community.”

ROJDA shows that memory is political – and that archives can be spaces that protect voices, preserve stories, and sustain cultures.

ROJDA – In Light of Memory is open daily until May 5, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (until 12:00 PM on May 5) at bUm Berlin.
Admission is free.

Afterward, ROJDA will travel as a mobile exhibition. Institutions, museums, and educational centers interested in a collaboration can contact: info@hawar.help