February 18, 2025
Presented by Rez Gardi, an international human rights lawyer.
In this talk, Rez Gardi, an international human rights lawyer, will explore the complex realities of the Kurdish people, focusing on their experiences throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Beginning with an introduction to who the Kurds are and their geographical homeland of Kurdistan, Gardi will examine how the colonial legacy of the 20th century—marked by the Sykes-Picot Agreement and the Treaty of Lausanne— partitioned Kurdish lands and set the stage for the ongoing struggles faced by the Kurdish population. The talk will also delve into the broader Kurdish struggle for self-determination—a right enshrined in international law but continually denied to the Kurdish people. She will explore the intersection of international law, human rights, and the geopolitical barriers that have hindered the Kurds' quest for statehood, as well as the implications of the Kurdish question for regional and international stability.
About the Speaker:
Rez Gardi is an international human rights lawyer, advocate, and speaker, dedicated to advancing justice and amplifying marginalized voices on the global stage. Born stateless in a refugee camp after her family fled genocide and persecution in Kurdistan, she draws upon her lived experience to champion the rights of displaced and stateless people worldwide. She is the Co-Managing Director of R-SEAT (Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table), the only global refugee-led organization working to enhance the effectiveness of global refugee responses by ensuring the inclusion of refugees in decision-making spaces. Currently based in New York, Rez works to expand R-SEAT’s presence, working at the United Nations in New York and Geneva.
Further information
- Location: Althouse 106
- Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
- Cost: Fee