The Iraqi refugee crisis is one of the most under-reported humanitarian crises in recent history, with an estimated over 2.2 million Iraqis displaced from their country. Most live as illegal migrants in unstable situations—without work, access to health care or the ability to obtain an education for their children.

In October 2008, Intersections International initiated an ongoing broad conversation with Iraqi refugees, international organizations and civil society that work with refugees in the region to determine how best to support increased Iraqi refugee advocacy. These collaborations formed the foundation for IVAP and ongoing efforts to keep awareness of this crisis at the forefront of the policy arena as well as enter it into the broader US consciousness.

During the month of October 2009, Intersections International led the Iraqi Voices Amplification Project (IVAP) delegation of eight American artists to Jordan, Lebanon and Syria to interview Iraqi refugees and learn firsthand about the crisis.  The IVAP delegation consisted of artists, from seven different disciplines—a photographer, writer, playwright, musician, choreographer, videographer and marketing expert—and Intersections’ staff with specializations in communications, the arts and refugee issues.

Upon their return, the artists began creating a series of artistic pieces designed to humanize the crisis and amplify the voices of the refugees. The works will travel as part of IVAP’s national campaign to draw attention to the Iraqi refugee crisis and elicit political and public support for policies that aid and benefit this vulnerable population.

In conjunction with utilizing the arts as an innovative medium to tell the refugees’ stories, IVAP also provides tangible policy recommendations for the U.S. government to consider in order to strengthen Iraqi society, help aide organizations working with Iraqi refugees in the region, and help improve the conditions of refugees internationally.

Read Intersections policy recommendations here.

To learn more about the Iraqi Voices Amplification project, including how you can host an exhibit of art created out of the trip, please contact Megan Hoelle, IVAP Director at mhoelle@intersectionsinternational.org or C. Eduardo Vargas, Project Manager at cevargas@intersectionsinternational.org.