Dear friends, Before you read more, watch our October Global Snapshot below:
I am very pleased to tell you the Canadian government has announced they will be bringing Yazidi victims of genocide to Canada within the next four months. This is a huge victory for both the Yazidi community and One Free World International. OFWI has worked tirelessly over the past two years to bring knowledge of the genocide against Yazidis to the attention of the Canadian public and our politicians.
Over the course of the last two years, I have travelled the world, speaking out about the atrocities committed against Yazidis by ISIS. I have provided testimony before European, American, and Canadian legislatures. OFWI and ORAT developed a plan to resettle 400 former Yazidi sex slaves in Canada that we presented to the Canadian Immigration Committee. It wasn’t until after the U.K., U.S., E.U., and U.N. had already recognized the genocide against the Yazidis, that Canada finally did the same. At that time, OFWI called on the government to show leadership and take concrete action to rescue this vulnerable community.
I am very pleased that our government has listened to OFWI’s call to show leadership on this issue. The Yazidi community is one of the most persecuted groups in the world, and they need our help and support more than ever. It is a relief to be able to say help is on the way, but there is still more to do. OFWI will continue to monitor the situation on the ground in Iraq and Syria to ensure proper measures are taken to ensure the safety of this minority group. We will also do what we can to ensure victims are not re-victimized during the resettlement process.
All of this would not be possible without your support. Please continue to donate generously through this time so that OFWI can properly monitor the ongoing situation of the Yazidis on the ground, and continue to be a voice for the voiceless.
Sincerely, Rev. Majed El Shafie President & Founder One Free World International