Mission and History
mission & History
mission
a safe and prosperous iraq for all
EPIC’s ultimate vision is a safe and prosperous Iraq in which all citizens live in freedom from want, freedom from fear, and freedom to live with dignity. EPIC’s strategy is based on a human security approach to aid relief and policy-making. Our goals are to educate Americans about what’s needed for genuine peace in Iraq, provide emergency assistance to the country’s most vulnerable populations, and convince the international community to remain responsibly engaged in Iraq by providing the humanitarian, security, and political support necessary to break the cycle of violence.
EPIC’s ultimate vision is a safe and prosperous Iraq in which all citizens live in freedom from want, freedom from fear, and freedom to live with dignity. EPIC’s strategy is based on a human security approach to aid relief and policy-making. Our goals are to educate Americans about what’s needed for genuine peace in Iraq, provide emergency assistance to the country’s most vulnerable populations, and convince the international community to remain responsibly engaged in Iraq by providing the humanitarian, security, and political support necessary to break the cycle of violence.
history
Iraqis in crisis
During the regime of Saddam Hussein, news reports in the mid-1990s told of a public health and humanitarian crisis in Iraq compounded by comprehensive United Nations trade sanctions. Children who were dangerously ill could not receive adequate life-saving health care, young people were unable to attend school due to poverty or a lack of basic necessities, and a significant part of the country was malnourished. Iraqis were cut off from the outside world while human rights defenders who dared to speak freely were jailed or killed by Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Iraqis in crisis
During the regime of Saddam Hussein, news reports in the mid-1990s told of a public health and humanitarian crisis in Iraq compounded by comprehensive United Nations trade sanctions. Children who were dangerously ill could not receive adequate life-saving health care, young people were unable to attend school due to poverty or a lack of basic necessities, and a significant part of the country was malnourished. Iraqis were cut off from the outside world while human rights defenders who dared to speak freely were jailed or killed by Saddam Hussein’s regime.
epic beginning
Recognizing the need to act, EPIC was founded in 1998 by veterans of the Gulf War who believe that a human security approach can make Iraqi safe and prosperous again. EPIC brought together veterans, Iraqis, aid workers, doctors, faith communities, and concerned Americans as a grassroots movement took hold. EPIC became a leading voice in the United States, amplifying the authentic concerns of everyday Iraqis and leading the conversation in Washington on the impact of economic sanctions and Human Rights violations.
epic beginning
Recognizing the need to act, EPIC was founded in 1998 by veterans of the Gulf War who believe that a human security approach can make Iraqi safe and prosperous again. EPIC brought together veterans, Iraqis, aid workers, doctors, faith communities, and concerned Americans as a grassroots movement took hold. EPIC became a leading voice in the United States, amplifying the authentic concerns of everyday Iraqis and leading the conversation in Washington on the impact of economic sanctions and Human Rights violations.
strong partner
Today, EPIC works one-on-one with civil society leaders in Iraq to provide relief for vulnerable populations, monitor the crisis to better inform public policy, and enhance understanding of Iraq’s story. EPIC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization registered in the District of Columbia and operates with three full-time employees, an eight member Board of Directors, and numerous volunteer advisors based in the US, Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan, and elsewhere around the world.
strong partner
Today, EPIC works one-on-one with civil society leaders in Iraq to provide relief for vulnerable populations, monitor the crisis to better inform public policy, and enhance understanding of Iraq’s story. EPIC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization registered in the District of Columbia and operates with three full-time employees, an eight member Board of Directors, and numerous volunteer advisors based in the US, Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan, and elsewhere around the world.
sharp focus
EPIC’s strategy is based on a human security approach to aid and policy-making. Our goals are to support local peace and recovery efforts, help peaceful activists defend human rights and accountable governance, and support Iraqis tackling the human costs of climate change. EPIC’s value is rooted in our 20 years of experience, our networks in Iraq and around the world, and our reputation as a trusted organization.
sharp focus
EPIC’s strategy is based on a human security approach to aid and policy-making. Our goals are to support local peace and recovery efforts, help peaceful activists defend human rights and accountable governance, and support Iraqis tackling the human costs of climate change. EPIC’s value is rooted in our 20 years of experience, our networks in Iraq and around the world, and our reputation as a trusted organization.
services
issues
read the tishreen report
The Long Game: Iraq’s Tishreen Movement and the Struggle for Reform
The report presents a year of research that includes focus groups with Tishreen and Kurdish activists, a national public opinion survey, social media analysis, and dozens of in-depth interviews.
