International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples: honouring Iraq's ancient communities and protecting their future

Every year on 9 August, the world marks the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, a day dedicated to recognizing the history, cultures, knowledge, and rights of Indigenous communities across the globe. This day was established by the United Nations in recognition of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982, and it serves as a reminder that Indigenous Peoples continue to face significant challenges despite their invaluable contributions to humanity.

Today, there are an estimated 476 million Indigenous Peoples living across 90 countries. Although they represent less than 6% of the world's population, they account for approximately 15% of those living in extreme poverty. They speak the majority of the world's estimated 7,000 languages and represent around 5,000 distinct cultures, preserving knowledge, languages, traditions, and ways of life that have been passed down for generations. Indigenous Peoples have a unique relationship with their ancestral lands and the natural environment. For centuries, they have acted as guardians of ecosystems, protecting biodiversity and promoting sustainable ways of living long before environmental conservation became a global priority. Yet despite these contributions, Indigenous communities remain among the world's most marginalized populations with many continuing to experience discrimination, displacement, poverty, restricted access to education and healthcare, and violations of their cultural, social, and political rights.

Iraq's indigenous heritage

Iraq is home to a remarkable diversity of people, cultures, religions, and ethnic communities that together form the country's rich historical identity. Among these are Indigenous communities whose roots in Mesopotamia go back thousands of years. Many scholars identify the Assyrians, by being descendants of the ancient Assyrian civilization, as one of the largest indigenous communities in the country. Their identity has endured despite centuries of conflict, forced displacement, persecution, and attempts to erase their cultural heritage.

Yazidi women in traditional dress. Photo by Lilia123456, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The modern understanding of Indigenous Peoples extends beyond historical presence. It includes characteristics such as historical continuity with ancestral societies, strong connections to traditional lands and natural resources, distinct languages and cultures, self-identification as Indigenous, and the determination to preserve their identity for future generations. Many within the Assyrian community consider these characteristics to reflect their own history and identity, and they continue to advocate for greater recognition of their Indigenous status through international platforms such as the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Alongside Assyrians, Iraq is also home to other minority communities, including the Yazidis, whose unique religious and cultural identity forms an important part of Iraq's social fabric. Protecting the rights and heritage of all minority communities remains essential to building a peaceful and inclusive society.

The lasting impact of conflict

In recent decades, Iraq's Indigenous and minority communities have endured repeated cycles of violence and displacement. The rise of ISIS in 2014 marked one of the darkest chapters in recent history. Entire communities were uprooted, thousands of families were forced to flee their homes, while women, men, and children suffered killings, abductions, and other grave human rights violations. The world rightly recognized the genocide committed against the Yazidi people, bringing international attention to the immense suffering experienced by their community. Assyrian communities also experienced devastating losses. Beyond forced displacement, they witnessed the destruction of churches, monasteries, ancient archaeological sites, and priceless cultural heritage. Historic landmarks such as the ancient city of Nimrud, parts of Hatra, churches in Tikrit, and countless Assyrian artifacts in Mosul were deliberately destroyed in an attempt to erase centuries of history and identity. Every destroyed monument represents lost memories and  interrupted traditions.

Recognition must lead to action

Recognizing Indigenous communities is only the first step. Meaningful inclusion requires action that protects their rights, preserves their cultures, and ensures equal access to opportunities and services. Around the world, governments, civil society organizations, humanitarian actors, and legal institutions all have an important role to play. Stronger legal protections, advocacy for Indigenous rights, accessible public services, and inclusive development policies are essential to ensuring that Indigenous Peoples are not left behind. Real progress comes from defending communities against discrimination, protecting ancestral lands and cultural heritage, promoting equal participation in decision-making, and ensuring that vulnerable populations can access justice and support. The efforts made today are still small compared to the generations of resilience Indigenous Peoples have endured.

Yazidi girl in traditional dress in Qoshtape, Erbil, Iraq. Photo by Mahshad Jalalian, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Mercy Hands' commitment

At Mercy Hands we believe that every individual deserves dignity, protection, and equal opportunity regardless of their ethnicity, religion, language, gender, or background. Our work is rooted in the belief that diversity is a strength, not a barrier. Across Iraq, we work to remove obstacles that prevent vulnerable communities from accessing education, healthcare, livelihoods, humanitarian assistance, and opportunities for sustainable development. We are committed to serving people based on need alone, while promoting peaceful coexistence among Iraq's diverse communities. Whether supporting families displaced by conflict, empowering women and youth, improving access to education, or strengthening community resilience, our mission is to ensure that no one is excluded because of who they are.

Building lasting peace requires more than responding to emergencies. It requires creating spaces where different communities can work together and where cultural diversity is respected.

Mural at the entrance of the Jalawla Youth Centre 

On this International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, we honour the resilience and contributions of Indigenous communities in Iraq and around the world. Their languages, traditions, knowledge, and cultures are an irreplaceable part of our shared human heritage. Protecting them means building a future founded on equality, inclusion, justice, and peace. At Mercy Hands, we remain committed to supporting the most vulnerable, reducing barriers to inclusion while fostering communities where diversity is celebrated and every person can live with dignity and hope.