Preserving a Sacred Landscape: Communicating and Promoting Yezidi Tangible and Intangible Heritage

The Yezidis are a Kurdish religious community with ritual traditions and a social structure that can be traced back to ancient times. Most Yezidis live in Iraq, particularly in the autonomous Kurdistan Region and the areas around Mosul, where the prominent shrine of Şêx Adî in Lalish stands as the spiritual heart of their faith. Ancient places of worship, ritual practices, and sacred oral poetry are vital in preserving Yezidi identity and ensuring the transmission of both their tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Over the past decade, persecution and forced migration have threatened the rich Yezidi tradition and its deep connection to the native land. Despite these challenges, the Yezidi community continues to strive for recovery from the devastation caused by ISIS and to safeguard its heritage through international projects and the reconstruction of sacred sites. In this context, scientific and field research can serve as a vital tool for developing targeted initiatives aimed at enhancing and raising awareness of Yezidi heritage, both within civil society worldwide and in the Kurdistan Region.