Amplifying the Voice of Iraqi Refugees

The Iraqi refugee crisis is one of the most underreported humanitarian crises in recent history, with an estimated over 2.2 million Iraqis displaced from their country. Most live as illegal migrants in unstable situations—without work, access to health care or the ability to obtain an education for their children.

Intersections traveled with eight artists to Jordan, Lebanon and Syria to interview Iraqi refugees. Upon their return, the artists began creating a series of artistic pieces designed to humanize the crisis and amplify the voices of the refugees. The works will travel as part of the Iraqi Voices Amplification Project’s (IVAP) national campaign to draw attention to the Iraqi refugee crisis and elicit political and public support for policies that aid and benefit this vulnerable population.

In October 2008, Intersections initiated an ongoing broad conversation with Iraqi refugees, international organizations and civil society that work with refugees in the region. These collaborations formed the foundation for IVAP and ongoing efforts to keep awareness of this crisis at the forefront of the policy arena.

In conjunction with utilizing the arts as an innovative medium to tell the refugees’ stories, IVAP also provides tangible policy recommendations for the U.S. government to consider in order to strengthen Iraqi society, help aide organizations working with Iraqi refugees in the region and help improve the conditions of refugees internationally.

To learn more about IVAP and the Iraqi Refugee crisis, visit the project website at - http://iraqivoices.intersectionsinternational.org.