Thanks to Primo Levi for ‘If This is a Man’

On the 8th commemoration of Yazidi genocide (3 August 2019)

You who walk free

In your own town

You who can sing in your mother tongue

You who can pray in your own temple

You who can sunbathe

And swim in the sea

You who can laugh 

And hold the hands of your children

Consider if this is a girl

Whose school is bombed

Whose town is invaded

Whose home is bulldozed

Whose parents are killed

Who is taken as a sex slave

And sold in public markets

With price tags on her wrists 

Who is forced to wear a burqa 

Spit on her own religion

And bear children by her rapist

Whose head is cut off if she dares to say no 

In all that you do

Remember her

In the beginning of the day 

And at the sunset

Remember her

In dark evenings

And under starry nights

Remember her

In your actions

And your thoughts

Remember her

In your holy days 

And in your prayers

Remember her

Carry her deep in your heart

It happened to her

And it can happen to you too

 Lest we forget to remember

To honour them all

Dr. Nazand Begikhani, an accomplished academic, poet, and lecturer, has earned acclaim on the international literary stage, securing prestigious honors such as the Emma Humphrey's Memorial Prize and the French Prize of Feminist Poetry of Simone Landry. After serving 15 years at the University of Bristol, UK, she was bestowed with the esteemed Vincent Wright Chair at the School of International Affairs at the Paris Institute of Political Sciences (Sciences Po) in 2020. This institution, renowned for shaping the careers of four French presidents, including President Macron, now benefits from her expertise. Dr. Begikhani instructs courses on violence against women during times of conflict and trauma, while actively advocating for women's rights worldwide. She demonstrates linguistic versatility by writing proficiently in Kurdish, French, and English.