“Being a survivor of genocide comes with great responsibility – for I am the lucky one”, says Nadia Murad Basee Taha. In September, Anne Biging, CEO of Healing Hotels of the World, and the entire audience at Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Intiative in New York, held their breath in the presence of Nadia – captivated by the spirit and determination of such an extraordinary woman.
Nadia is only 23 years old, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and nothing less than a pillar of hope, a voice for thousands of women and children, representing their fate and dragging their painful reality in front of the eyes of the world and its global leaders.
Nadia’s story is sad, but it’s a story of strength, courage and activism. She was born and raised within the Yazidi community in the village of Kocho, Iraq, where Christians and Muslims lived harmoniously as neighbors when the IS attacked her village in 2014. Along with her family, other women, children and men were taken captive enslaved and assaulted. After being held hostage, being beaten, having lost her family and been the victim to unspeakable crimes, one of her escape attempts eventually worked out.
‘My role as an activist is not just about my suffering – it is about collective suffering’ says Nadia, who simply refuses to let her story victimize and weaken her on her life path. Instead she stands up in front of the world’s leaders today – loud and proud – asking them to act, asking them to no longer look away when it comes to enslavement, human trafficking and genocide. Her mission is to help afflicted women and children to rebuild their lives and communities, which requires a holistic approach – one that addresses the pursuit of justice, humanitarian support, cultural preservation and global awareness.
Healing Hotels of the World, organizer of the HEALING SUMMIT, is committed to healing from heart and wants to help Nadia, who brought Nadia’s Initiative to life. We strongly believe that each and every one of us can make the world a better place. Respect, the will to listen, tolerance and love are the key – combined with a hands-on attitude. We therefore donate EUR 50 of every HEALING SUMMIT registration fee to Nadia’s Initiative in order to support her fight for a better, more human world. Join us.
“We must work together to counter terrorism. For we are all human that deserve to live in peace.” Nadia Murad Basee Taha.
