Last week, OFWI’s President Majed El Shafie attended a reception at the Ontario Legislature to commemorate the ISIS-led massacre against Yazidis on Mount Sinjar in Iraq. The event marked the second anniversary of the genocide in Northern Iraq, and featured participants from both the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and the Conservative Party of Canada. OFWI was honoured to have our work recognized by the presenters as an example of how Canadians can help and how necessary that help is.

In a press conference prior to the reception, The Hon. Peter Kent, MP Dean Allison, MP Michelle Rempel, and MPP Gila Martow called on the Canadian government to do more to help save innocent Yazidi lives in the region. The government finally recognized the genocide against the Yazidis, but has still not taken action to save lives and prevent further losses. These elected officials all agreed: much more needs to be done.

Following the press conference members of the Yazidi community gathered in a solemn reception to reflect on the struggle at hand and to discuss next steps as a group. Majed El Shafie led the gathering in a moment of silence for those who lost their lives that day at Sinjar.

As we all reflect on the anniversary of this terrible tragedy, we must remember that we can all do more to help Yazidi refugees. OFWI has encouraged all of our supporters to write their MPs, Ministers, and Prime Minister Trudeau to let them know that you demand action from the Canadian government to save these vulnerable people.

If you can’t write your elected officials, then please consider donating generously to support OFWI’s ongoing efforts to rescue Yazidi refugees from war-torn Iraq and Syria.

We will continue to fight for the most vulnerable minorities in Iraq and Syria while pressuring the Government of Canada to implement our joint OFWI-ORAT proposal to resettle 400 women and girls who escaped ISIS’ slavery to Canada as refugees.