My name is Dina Yazdani, and I want to see an end to sectarianism that has plagued the Middle East. I was raised by a Sunni Malaysian Mother and a Shia Iranian Father, and remember a time not long ago when these sectarian divides were not as deep as they are today. I aspire to play a role in helping confront the roots of sectarianism, and by extension promoting sustainable peace in the region.
Before my current job working in programming for an international NGO for the Middle East, I worked as a research intern for the Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East Policy and at Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa Division in Washington, DC. I received my Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution in Divided Societies from King’s College London’s Middle Eastern Studies department, and my Bachelors in International Affairs from Lewis & Clark College. I’m originally from Portland, Oregon but have spent time abroad in Iran, Lebanon and Jordan.
My main area of expertise and interest lies in conflict resolution primarily among sectarian-divided societies in the Middle East, although I have covered broader topics on human rights, particularly “the refugee crisis”. Outside of my day-job at an NGO, I work as a freelance journalist and Middle East analysis. My work has appeared on Middle East Eye, Gulf State Analytics, Your Fair Observer among other media outlets.
Learn more about me by checking out my social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinayazdani
Twitter: @_DinaYazdani
Published Work:
The Reform Movement is not Dead
A Conversation on Child Marriage with Amnesty International
EU’s Discriminatory Border Policy Alienates Economic Refugees
Saudi Arabia in Desperate Attempt to Reclaim Regional Hegemony
US Visa Waiver Reform is Illogical, Unfair and Harmful
Shia Lebanese have been Dehumanized and Forgotten
Renewed Vienna Talks Offer Hope for Syria
Yemen Faces a Catastrophe as Violence Intensifies
A plea to end western sanctions on Iranian Airlines
The US failed in Iraq. Now it has a second chance with Iran.
Want to Defeat Terrorism? Here’s the Only Way How.
What Morsi’s Overthrow Means for the Palestinians
Are New Middle East Peace Talks the Usual Pipe Dream?
Democratizing Iran: Khatami’s Grand Strategy
OneVoice Occidental’s president reflects on “Two States 2013” campaign
Tawakkul Karman Brings the Arab Spring to Yemen
Our Constitutional Rights Going out the Window Again?
Muslim Immigrants in post-9/11 America
Media:
The PioLog, 2015, The LC Community Rallies for a Middle East Studies Minor
Islamic Horizons Magazine, 2012 Teaching Activism
The Oregonian, 2012 Teacher’s Union and PPS: Don’t argue, just fix it.
OneVoice Movement Blog, 2012 OneVoice’s Occidental College chapter host’s justice week
Oxy Weekly, 2012 Muslim Student Association holds vigil for Syrian victims
The Gulf Times, 2011 Doha lessons for youth leaders
Public Broadcasting Service, 2011 Youth Remember 9/11
New York Times, 2010 Small Fund-Raisers for Victims Start to Add Up
The Oregonian, 2010 Portland ‘priority zone’ would give seven schools special treatment
The Portland Tribune, 2010 Teachers feel left out of redesign process
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thank you. you are an inspiration
Things are, I think, much more complicated then they seem. Every idea of resolving conflict of whether in between Palestine and Israel or Pakistan and India on Kashmir, has proved itself absurd and useless for decades and i think all that the present world need is “inventing” a new idea that can result in Global Peace and Harmony; something synonymous to Henry Dunant or Frederic Passy.
You have a ‘nice’ perspective towards whatever you feel and experience. I believe that your wise brain is able to come-up with an affordable solution that can consequently resolve ‘In-between’ conflict of Palestine and Israel.
You have a ‘nice’ perspective towards whatever you feel and experience. I believe that your wise brain is able to come-up with an affordable solution that can consequently resolve ‘In-between’ conflict of Palestine and Israel.
thumbs up! how i wish that all of our friends are aware of this