Advocating for a world more alert to the dangers of genocide...

The Center for Genocide Studies at the University of Duhok, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, was established in 2018. Despite entering a new millennium, genocides continue to inflict devastating consequences on affected communities. While the twentieth century witnessed their repeated occurrence, the twenty-first has also proven far from immune, making the threat of recurrence a persistent reality in the contemporary world.

Iraq itself has endured multiple genocides, with the people of Kurdistan experiencing such atrocities on several occasions. Their consequences have been profound, leaving enduring scars and ongoing challenges, particularly for the victims and survivors. At the same time, genocide studies in the country have largely remained underexplored, creating a substantial gap in essential areas, including research and scholarship, education and awareness, and documentation and memorialization.

Globally, the study of genocide has become a vital part of academic and scientific inquiry. For decades, the international scholarly community has devoted significant attention to explaining and understanding the phenomenon of genocide. Given its grave human, social, and political ramifications, genocide studies have emerged as an urgent necessity—not only for scholars and policymakers but also for societies at large. The scientific exploration of genocide is essential to prevention efforts, to mitigating its consequences, and to protecting communities from future atrocities.

At the University of Duhok, the Center for Genocide Studies engages in the academic and scientific study of genocides worldwide, with particular attention to those suffered by the people of Kurdistan. In this context, the Center actively engages in a range of initiatives, including hosting international conferences, advancing documentation efforts, and organizing commemorative events.

Our Vision 

The Center strives to function as a hub for genocide studies, to raise and educate future generations against the recurrence of genocide, and to safeguard the memory of past atrocities. 

Our Mission 

The Center is dedicated to advancing research and scholarship, fostering education and public awareness, and preserving the memory of genocides to honor victims, learn from the past, and inspire a more informed and compassionate society.

Our Focus

The Center pursues the following core priorities: 

Research and scholarship: The Center works to deepen understanding of genocide from many perspectives. By conducting thoughtful research, bringing scholars and practitioners together at conferences, and publishing meaningful studies, it contributes knowledge that helps the world learn from the past and respond to present challenges.

Education and awareness: To ensure that future generations are informed and engaged, the Center develops academic programs, offers public lectures, and organizes initiatives that make knowledge accessible to schools, communities, and wider audiences. Its aim is not only to teach, but also to inspire awareness, empathy, and responsibility.

Documentation and memorialisation: The Center honors the experiences of survivors and victims by preserving their stories, collecting testimonies, and safeguarding archives. Through commemorations and remembrance activities, it helps keep memories alive so that lessons of the past remain present for future generations.

Partnerships: The Center believes that collaboration strengthens its work. By building relationships with local, regional, and international partners, it shares knowledge, exchanges best practices, and amplifies efforts to raise awareness and advocate for a world more alert to the dangers of genocide.