Youth are well known for breaking new ground, dreaming big, and rewriting the rules. They fight in wars, push for revolutions, and are often the first to call for reforms and change to a system of governance. Their energy and enthusiasm is often described as a source to be tapped into. And it pretty much goes […]
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Photovoice: An Exciting Tool for EPIC
Here at EPIC, we have been exploring tools and techniques for forwarding our mission in Iraq. We are particularly excited about a technique called photovoice because of its power, simplicity, and participatory nature. We thought we’d share some of our excitement with you, to keep you updated on what we’re working on. Drawing inspiration from […]
TEDx: From Ideas to Action
Iraq is in a state of transition from war to peace, from occupation to independence, from an old to a new identity. As Iraqis face this transitional stage in their history, they have an opportunity to reflect on both the past and the future. TEDx Baghdad, an event initiated by Yahay AlAbdeli, acts as a mirror for […]
Iraqi Kurdistan in a League of Their Own
As the Euro Cup draws attention from the soccer-loving world (read: everyone but the US), another lesser-known competition has just ended. Iraqi Kurdistan beat out Northern Cyprus in the VIVA World Cup. What’s that? You didn’t catch the game? I’ll be honest, I didn’t either. The games were held in Erbil, and though it was […]
Iraq, the Invisible
“It was not the 2003 invasion that brought my country to its knees. Things have always been very bad… They just got much worse.” This is what my Arabic professor told me last fall, speaking of her home nation Iraq. I listened to her words and understood that this information was exclusive to the classroom; […]
US Falters in Protecting Iraqi Refugees
Following the outbreak of civil war in Iraq in February 2006, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis fled to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Turkey, and more than 1.5 million became displaced within Iraq. Some families relocated to escape an escalation of general violence in their areas, while others fled targeted persecution, including members of religious […]
There’s more in Iraq than just oil
This morning, a Bloomberg Businessweek article proudly proclaimed “Iraq Oil Output Beating Iran Ends Saddam Legacy.” I agree with Bloomberg that this is an important milestone for the country, one which will generate life saving revenue for development and rebuilding. However, I believe there are two problems with this statement: first, Bloomberg is mistaken in […]
Advancing Democracy in Iraq
If you are like me and you grew up in a democratic society, it can be easy to take democracy and all its trappings for granted. But recently I’ve been thinking a lot about what “democracy” means as a concept, a practice, and a system of government. In particular, what does it take for a […]
World Press Freedom Day
Every morning, as I fight off my lingering urge to return to bed, I surround myself by the news. On my phone, on the radio, on TV. Maybe it’s because I live in a city where politics is our bread and butter – or maybe water and oxygen make a better analogy. Maybe I just […]
NGO Letter to President Obama
Over 40 U.S.-based Organizations Applaud President Obama’s Promise to Help Iraqis Impacted by the War in Iraq Groups Call for a Comprehensive Humanitarian, Development and Refugee Resettlement Strategy led by Civilian Agencies For Immediate Release – Contact: Erik Gustafson at EPIC 202-682-0208 March 4, 2009 (Washington, DC) – Writing to President Barack Obama in response […]