Creative Initiatives Foster Partnerships in Shared Human Concerns and Responsibilities: On the Ezidi Conference in Germany

I was honored and delighted to accept a kind invitation from members of the Ezidi diaspora to participate in an international conference they organized under the title: The Ezidi Through Dialogue on the Way to Reorganization and Institutionalization, Sponsored by Asiacell and the Society for Threatened Peoples, September 13-14, 2025, Hannover, Germany.
The central idea of the conference revolved around a project aimed at reforming the reality of Ezidi society through dialogue. A large number of Ezidi intellectuals and researchers—both women and men—participated, alongside friends of the Ezidi community from various countries around the world.
I was deeply honored that the organizing committee invited me to deliver a speech in the opening session of the conference, alongside other distinguished speakers. My speech was titled:
"The New Human Environment and the Need for Societal Adaptation," grounded in the Humanistic Understanding of Islam proposed by the Sudanese thinker Mahmoud Mohamed Taha (1909–1985). His thought represents for me an open, ongoing research project through which I have published numerous books, articles, and lectures—and continue to do so.

Toward Understanding Through Intellectual Encounter, Idea Confluence, and Partnership Building

The initiative by Ezidi intellectuals to organize this conference—alongside participants from diverse countries—created a valuable opportunity for mutual understanding through the meeting of minds and convergence of ideas. It also enabled shared reflection and dialogue between diverse experiences and voices.
As part of my contribution, my speech in the opening session aimed to address several core themes:
First: to celebrate the idea of the conference itself—as a creative initiative that speaks to all communities and religions in light of the new human environment we witness in today s world. This environment demands peace as an inevitable outcome of humanity’s shared destiny. The initiative calls for keeping pace with these changes, and in doing so, promotes partnership in shared human concerns and responsibilities. I made this point explicitly in my speech, excerpted below.
Second: I sought to express my love and respect for Ezidis, men and women. Through loving them, we love God—for we love God through His creations, and the most honored of His creations is the human being, in their humanity, regardless of religion, language, color,´-or-gender. This is based on a Humanistic Understanding of Islam, and includes an open rejection of the old, regressive interpretation of Islam perpetuated by "prisoners of the past"—and there are many. This old understanding, which sadly remains dominant today, is backward, out of touch, and diverges from universal human values. As such, it obstructs peaceful coexistence and threatens both local and global peace. It invokes the "law of the jungle" and insists on resurrecting the past—creating a dialectical clash between past and present, from which violence emerges in various spheres, including violence against the "other." Some even justify killing the other, as is the case with certain interpretations within some Islamic groups—interpretations from which the Ezidis have suffered greatly.
In contrast, Taha calls for living for the sake of God—not dying for His sake, a message I highlighted in my speech as well.
Third: on a personal level, I am committed to contributing—within my individual responsibility—to the protection of future generations of Ezidis, as well as the youth of other faiths and cultures within the broader Islamic and human spheres. I aim to do this by presenting a new narrative about Ezidis from within Islam itself—a narrative that reflects the spirit of Islam and fulfills its higher objectives. According to Taha, these objectives are inherently human: the right to life, and the right to freedom, and all that stems from them. The new narrative I seek to help build is based on knowledge, thought, ethics, and a shared human identity, as articulated by Taha.
Fourth: the call to partnership in human responsibility through the use of humanistic thought—in pursuit of peace, love, and beauty. According to Taha, the beauty of human thought lies in diversity and difference, its real joy in varied perception, and its ultimate aim in tolerance and open-mindedness. Thus, this conference stands as a call for a confluence of ideas—a dialogue that transcends geography and cultures, addresses both local and global concerns, and examines the human horizon using the tools of thoughtful inquiry and humanist philosophy.
Structure of the Conference (The Architectural Framework of the Conference)
The conference was structured into seven sessions, in addition to discussions and ratification of the agenda and internal regulations, as well as the election of members of the Ezidi Congress in the Diaspora (KED). It concluded with a closing statement, recommendations, and outcomes. The entire conference was thoroughly documented and live-streamed via -dir-ok 74 Channel.
The conference operated in four languages: Arabic, Kurdish, German, and English.
I had the honor of receiving special attention and support from Ms. Avin Aziz, a writer and sociologist from Sweden, and Mr. Ibrahim Semo from Germany, who kindly translated for me from Kurdish to Arabic. Thanks to them, I was able to follow and engage with parts of the discussions conducted in Kurdish.
The opening session was inaugurated by Dr. Khalil Jundi Rasho, who presented the conference’s keynote speech. He was followed by Monica Plate, the Mayor of Hanover, capital of Lower Saxony. After her came Mr. Bodo Ramelow, Vice President of the German Parliament, and then Ms. Mariah Mercer, Acting Deputy Ambassador for International Religious Freedom at the U.S. Department of State.
Following that, Dr. Abdalla Elfakki Elbashir delivered his speech, followed by Ms. Avin Aziz, a writer and researcher from Sweden. The session continued with Dr. Kamal Sido, advisor at the Society for Threatened Peoples in Germany, and Ms. Ana Noronha, head of the Ezidi Emergency Support Organization.
The remaining six sessions were conducted in a format of open dialogue and reflective discussion. Each session featured four to five participants, along with one´-or-two moderators. The sessions began with participant discussions on the session’s topic, followed by an open-floor engagement with the audience.
Here’s a summary of the session themes:
1. "Ezidis Before and After the Genocide"
2. "Society and Reform"
3. "The Situation of Rojava Ezidis at Home and in the Diaspora"
4. "The Situation of Ezidis in Turkey and the Caucasus Republics"
5. "Assessment of the Situation in Sinjar (Shingal)"
6. "Ezidis in the Diaspora and the Challenges of Globalization"
On the sidelines of the conference, there were two art exhibitions:
●-;- A photography exhibit by artist Rustem Agaleh
●-;- A visual art exhibit by Ezidi artist Qasim Al-Sharqi, titled "Abandoned Shoes and Remaining Stories"
The conference concluded with a final declaration titled: "Final Statement of the Ezidi Diaspora Conference: A Conference of Dialogue and Challenge", which was published online for public access.
Additionally, the conference elected 53 primary members of the Ezidi Congress in the Diaspora (KED), along with alternate members, for a term of two years, starting from the conclusion of the conference and the formation of the Congress.
After extensive deliberation, the conference also issued 31 recommendations, outcomes, and decisions, addressed to the entire Ezidi community, and particularly to the newly elected members of the KED Congress, to serve as a working program for the coming years.
In accordance with the agreements made during the conference, the newly elected members of the Ezidi Congress in the Diaspora (KED) held their first official meeting on September 28, 2025, in the city of Hamm, Germany.
During this meeting, Dr. Khalil Jundi Rasho was unanimously elected as President of the Congress, along with six other members elected to the Presidential Committee.


The Text of Abdalla Elfakki Elbashir’s Speech at the Opening Session of the Conference

Speech by Dr. Abdalla Elfakki Elbashir
The Need for Societal Adaptation to the New Human Environment
Speech to be delivered at the Ezidi Through Dialogue on the Way to Reorganization and Institutionalization, Sponsored by Asiacell and the Society for Threatened Peoples, from September 13-14, 2025, in Hannover, Germany.

Dear Chairman and Members of the Conference Organizing Committee, and Distinguished Attendees

I am pleased and honored to be among you today in this country that has contributed intellectually and richly since the dawn of history, as if recounting the story of human civilization. This gathering is inspired by lofty human values, celebrating a shared human identity and intellectual partnership through dialogue and exchange of views on the theme of our conference: the Ezidi Through Dialogue on the Way to Reorganization and Institutionalization. Based on the humanistic understanding of Islam proposed by the Sudanese thinker Mahmoud Mohamed Taha, for whom he was executed on January 18, 1985, by the conspiracy of a broad Islamist coalition, I am pleased to salute the Ezidis wherever they may be. The Ezidis are recognized as one of the ancient and distinguished nations with authentic contributions to human heritage. They have continued to offer a unique human model of enduring harm while adhering to their identity and faith. They have creatively enriched dialogues on religious pluralism and coexistence, despite the persecution they have suffered throughout their history, the most recent of which was the ethnic cleansing campaigns perpetrated by ISIS. The Ezidis, and we all, are a manifestation of God on this earth. We share common human origins, and therefore the Ezidis are the object of my respect and love. Here, I would like to quote the thinker Taha, who says that we should love God in His creation, since the most honorable of God’s creations are humans, as they are. Hence, I follow Taha’s call for life, not death, for the sake of God´-or-in the name of humanity.

Distinguished Attendees

We meet today in response to a sincere Ezidi initiative, not as victims of discrimination and persecution, but as partners in building the future of humanity in accordance with shared human values and the dictates of the times. The conference’s address to the Ezidi community’s need for reorganization and re-institutionalization truly reflects the needs of societies and religions worldwide. The new, renewed human environment, thanks to God and the advancement of communications technology, which has shrunk distances on Earth and nearly eliminated the factors of time and space, now presents religions and societies with a real and unprecedented challenge. It is a challenge posed by the need to adapt, adjust, and reconcile with the new environment. It is an environment that requires a thoughtful and rational approach to various aspects of life. First among these aspects of life is the institutional protection of societies, the reorganization of their relationships, and the renewal and adaptation of societal legislation to keep pace with the emerging requirements of societal survival. The new human environment has united our planet, our interests, and our shared human destiny. The organization of societies, including the regulation of the relationship between individuals and society, requires the formulation of legislation based on shared human values that protect the rights of the individual and the rights of society as a whole. These are the values shared by all religions and philosophies that aim to establish peace in souls and then on earth.
Distinguished Attendees

Societal reorganization and institutionalization, the theme of this conference, does not mean alienation and abandonment of one’s roots. It should not be understood as a call to abandon religious, intellectual,´-or-cultural traditions. Rather, it is a call necessitated by the need to adapt to the current human environment and keep pace with its development through thought and rationality. This is because evolution is the law of existence, and societal reorganization must be based on the legislation of interactions, including the regulation of individual relationships within society, economic and social systems, and other requirements for responding to societal changes and developments. I am convinced that the consequences of the absence´-or-weakness of a response to societal developments on the part of any religion´-or-ideology are a decline in humanity, a failure to keep pace with the times, and a lock-in in the dialectic of contradictions. As long as societal contradictions exist, the conditions are ripe for violent conflict driven by fanatic and religious extremism, and thus tolerance and peace are lost.

Distinguished Attendees

Societal reorganization and institutionalization are a call to adapt to the current radical changes and to free oneself from the shackles of the past. They are also a call to utilize history as a mechanism for change. Above all, the goal of this call is to adapt and reconcile with the environment for the sake of peace and survival. Perhaps the call to adhere to the environment is a fundamental tenet of the Ezidi faith, and it is also one of the most important principles of Taha’s human understanding of Islam. Taha defined Islam as an awareness of the reality of the environment, through which we gain peace and adaptation. He argued that without this awareness of the environment, no living being can maintain its life, let alone its freedom and happiness.

In conclusion, I hope the activities of this conference succeed in serving the aspirations of its participants and achieving the desired goals. Thank you.


Speech by: Abdalla Elfakki Elbashir, PhD
Researcher in the Humanistic Understanding of Islam

Rate the article
Bad	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Very good
Result : 100%							Participated in the vote : 1