'Countless number of persecutions': UNO panel discusses Yazidi genocide and its impact

BRIEFED ON THE TAKEDOWNS TOMORROW. NEW TONIGHT, A SURVIVOR OF GENOCIDE SHARES HIS STORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, OMAHA. HE’S A MEMBER OF THE YAZIDI PEOPLE. LORELLA, JUST MINORITY AND ETHNIC GROUP THAT HAVE BEEN PERSECUTED IN IRAQ FOR CENTURIES. NEBRASKA IS HOME TO THE LARGEST NUMBER OF YAZIDIS IN THE U.S. KETV NEWSWATCH 7 QUANECIA FRASER HAS THEIR MESSAGE TONIGHT. CLICK HERE. ROB THE EXPERTS ON TONIGHT’S PANEL AT UNO, INCLUDING THE YAZIDI, WANT TO DRIVE HOME THAT GENOCIDE ISN’T SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS OVERNIGHT, BUT A CONSEQUENCE OF HATE. THIS MONTH, BEING IN THE HASN’T BEEN EASY FOR US. UNO STUDENTS AND FACULTY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE A VIRTUAL REALITY EXHIBIT ABOUT THE YAZIDI GENOCIDE AND HOW IT STILL IMPACTS PEOPLE IN NORTHERN IRAQ. NOW, IS THIS AN END TO USE VIRTUAL REALITY TO REFOCUS INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION BACK ON THE SITUATION FACING THE YAZIDI COMMUNITY? IN 2014, EXTREME EST MURDERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM THE RELIGIOUS MINORITY AND ETHNIC GROUP. WE DECIDED TO MAKE MOVIES LISTENING. THE NAME OF THE TITLE OF THIS PROGRAM, AS THIS WAS A SPECIFIC PHRASE THAT WAS MENTIONED TO US IN NEARLY EVERY MEETING WE HAD WITH THE YAZIDI COMMUNITY. A PANEL DISCUSSION ACCOMPANIED THE VIRTUAL REALITY EXHIBIT ON THE U.A. CAMPUS MONDAY NIGHT. MY RELATIVES, THEY DID BECOME A VICTIM OF OF HATE AND AND RADICAL ISM. HAROON OUR AL-QAIDA IS A YAZIDI WHO MOVED TO THE U.S. TWO YEARS AFTER THE GENOCIDE. WE ARE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUPS. WE HAVE OUR OWN UNIQUE BELIEFS AND CULTURE AND TRADITIONS AND VALUES. HE SAYS THAT’S THE MAIN REASON THEY WERE TARGETED BY EXTREMISTS AND RADICAL GROUPS LIKE ISIS. HYDER SAYS THE YAZIDIS HAVE BEEN THE VICTIMS OF 74 GENOCIDE SITES. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH COUNTLESS NUMBER OF PERSECUTIONS SINCE THE 12TH CENTURY. IN HIS VIEW, IT’S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO SEE THE SIGNS OF A GENOCIDE BEFORE IT HAPPENS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LIVE IN A PEACEFUL WORLD AND AND WE WANT TO RAISE AWARENESS THAT THIS IS WHAT’S GOING ON IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD. THE NOBODY’S LISTENING EXHIBIT IS AT THE UNO ART GALLERY IN THE WEBBER FINE ARTS BUILDING. IT’S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WEEKDAYS

The Yazidis are a religious minority and ethnic group that has been persecuted in Iraq for centuries. Nebraska is home to the largest number of Yazidis in the U.S."Being a Yazidi hasn't been easy for us," said Haroon Al Hayder, a Yazidi living in Nebraska.This month, the University of Nebraska Omaha students and faculty have the opportunity to experience a virtual reality exhibit about the Yazidi genocide and how it still impacts people in Northern Iraq."Nobody's listening (the virtual reality exhibit) aims to use virtual reality to refocus international attention back on the situation facing the Yazidi community," said Ryan D'Souza the founder and director of Nobody's Listening.In 2014, extremists murdered thousands of people from the Yazidi group."We decided to make nobody's listening to the name of the title of this program as this was a specific phrase that was mentioned to us in nearly every meeting we had with the Yazidi community," D'Souza said.A panel discussion accompanied the virtual reality exhibit Monday night."My relatives, they did become victims of hate, and radicalism," Al Hayder said.Al Hayder moved to the U.S. two years after the 2014 genocide."We are different than other religious groups. We have our own unique beliefs and culture, traditions and values," he said.Al Hayder said that's the main reason they were targeted by extremists and radical groups like ISIS. He said the Yazidis have been the victims of 74 genocides."We have gone through a countless number of persecutions since the 12th century," Al Hayder said.In his view, it's important for people around the world to the signs of genocide before it happens."I want to make sure that we live in a peaceful world. And we want to raise awareness that this is what's going on in that part of the world," Al Hayder said.The Nobody's Listening exhibit is at the UNO art gallery in the Weber Fine Arts building. It's open to the public on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Feb. 23.

OMAHA, Neb. —

The Yazidis are a religious minority and ethnic group that has been persecuted in Iraq for centuries. Nebraska is home to the largest number of Yazidis in the U.S.

"Being a Yazidi hasn't been easy for us," said Haroon Al Hayder, a Yazidi living in Nebraska.

This month, the University of Nebraska Omaha students and faculty have the opportunity to experience a virtual reality exhibit about the Yazidi genocide and how it still impacts people in Northern Iraq.

"Nobody's listening (the virtual reality exhibit) aims to use virtual reality to refocus international attention back on the situation facing the Yazidi community," said Ryan D'Souza the founder and director of Nobody's Listening.

In 2014, extremists murdered thousands of people from the Yazidi group.

"We decided to make nobody's listening to the name of the title of this program as this was a specific phrase that was mentioned to us in nearly every meeting we had with the Yazidi community," D'Souza said.

A panel discussion accompanied the virtual reality exhibit Monday night.

"My relatives, they did become victims of hate, and radicalism," Al Hayder said.

Al Hayder moved to the U.S. two years after the 2014 genocide.

"We are different than other religious groups. We have our own unique beliefs and culture, traditions and values," he said.

Al Hayder said that's the main reason they were targeted by extremists and radical groups like ISIS. He said the Yazidis have been the victims of 74 genocides.

"We have gone through a countless number of persecutions since the 12th century," Al Hayder said.

In his view, it's important for people around the world to the signs of genocide before it happens.

"I want to make sure that we live in a peaceful world. And we want to raise awareness that this is what's going on in that part of the world," Al Hayder said.

The Nobody's Listening exhibit is at the UNO art gallery in the Weber Fine Arts building. It's open to the public on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Feb. 23.

'Countless number of persecutions': UNO panel discusses Yazidi genocide and its impact

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