Kurdistan: Homeland of Diversity | Levi Clancy | TEDxDuhok

Levi Clancy shares his experience in Kurdistan, the homeland of multi-cultures and many religions, showing the co-existence and peace it has.
Levi was born and grew up in 1990 in Los Angeles in the United States. When he was still a kid, he started taking college courses and when he was only 13 years old he transferred to the University of California! At 15, he was abandoned by his family and had to leave university, and started working in medical research as well as web development and graphic arts in order to support himself and make it month to month. At 18, he received a scholarship to return to university, and reconnected with his family. After finishing his baccalaureate in Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics (MIMG) with a minor in Mesopotamian history, he moved to Erbil. Levi has worked for University of California as a researcher in electron microscopy, oncology and flow cytometry. He has also worked in marketing for clients including the LA Lakers, NCAA, Verizon and AT&T. Currently, he works as a software developer and as a freelance journalist. Levi has been featured on CBS News and LA Times. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@hevishko]

Thanks a lot fot talking about KURDISH PPL ! BIJI kurd û Kurdistan

[@thevillageofnod]

Ever since I transcribed the stories of Christians brutally forced and chased out of Baghdad and Mosul by ISIS and learned how the Kurds protected them, ushering them to safety, I have had a deep respect that has grown into love the more and more I know about them. They are a fantastic people. I don't know what President Trump is doing. I only hope the Kurds find a way.

[@brightlight7217]

Orange is a public traitor. Don't call him president.

[@danimansour2156]

Colleen Jennings They also disarmed and abandoned Christians to ISIS without warning on multiple occasions. They’re extremely self-interested. Don’t believe anything they do isn’t for establishing a country for theirselves. They don’t do anything out of real friendship.

[@sheveka]

Just like all the other presidents, Trump uses them as pawns in a strategy game. Obama helped us the most by airbombing ISIS in 2014, which gave the YPG and YPJ (the women fighters) respite from all the losses on the ground. Help came very late (when Kurds were at a critical moment, about to be wiped out of existence by ISIS, and Turkey's Erdogan was even funding ISIS), but it came eventually and we started to reclaim the town of Kobane and drive out ISIS. The YPG/YPJ were clever. They infiltrated ISIS camps by pretending to be them, cooking for them and killing 50 of them by poison. Of course, they themselves died and made the ultimate sacrifice so that the middle east could have democracy and freedom and so that Kurds could live on their own land independently.

[@sirwanmuhammed2162]

@@danimansour2156 you are absolutely wrong you are a mouthpiece paid by Turkish mongolian or the ISIS Iran or maybe iraq government to make the kurds look bad the christian people who lives in northern iraq which Kurdistan they were fully protected by the Kurdish female and male fighters even they said that when the 700 club the biggest christian channel here at the they interview them, you need to take your nonsense thinking somewhere else

[@Coldbrew365]

@@danimansour2156 No matter what Kurds do for you, your blind hatred and spitting lies are evidence of your ignorance.

[@mijodo2008]

Thankyou for Educating the World at Large about the Wonderful Kurdish people. Their brave battles and courage to survive under the Treacherous Betrayal by World Superpowers who use & abuse minority groups. The Kurdish history is Inspirational. Cheers from Michael. Australia.

[@monotheism6616]

Couldn’t find any kind of negative comments. It means that the Turks haven’t watched the video yet!

[@lebotonton]

@@ms9771 They can't trust Arabs or Turkish

[@frankspeaking2630]

@@lebotonton Or Americans

[@sefasahansefasoma]

@Azad brusk but u should know we won't share our country with u. It is TURKEY. U won't change it.

[@sefasahansefasoma]

@Azad brusk You understood very well what I meant. If you try to do anything to my country one day, then you will see.

[@yahyamohammed6729]

@@sefasahansefasoma oh no, not your precious country... krappa

[@michaelcho3507]

Beautiful job Levy...your deep sense of shared humanity shined through this presentation...I just hope Kurds will be able to find the way to their own state that is safe from all the craziness and hate....I am of Korean extraction and christian....I pray for the peace for you and your Kurdish friends...

[@leviclancy]

"supas" means "thank you" in Kurdish. Many supas to you, my friend ☺️

[@joalexsg9741]

I'm so thankful to this young Jewish genius for his activism for the Kurds!!! Kol Hakavod!!! Thank you so much for this, shared all over!

[@cemasti4524]

Yea right. Who would want another state in Middle East to prop up zionist Israel.?

[@leviclancy]

Thank you so much Jo. As you can see from the comments, to be Kurdish in the Middle East is similarly dangerous as being Kurdish.

[@joalexsg9741]

@@leviclancy Oh, I'm honored by your feedback, todah rabah! Although my web activism could never be compared to what you've been doing for them, I try to raise awareness to their struggle as often as possible, especially in rough times like now, with the withdrawal of the US troops from Rojava. I just descend from long-ago converted Jews but have been interested in the history of the people and the modern, secular state of Israel for some time and felt really happy to see a Jewish person like you speaking up for them and helping them build their nation!

[@leviclancy]

Jo Alex Sg Thank you so much, and chag sameach (happy holidays) for Sukkot. This video had a few hundred views until just a few days or weeks ago, so work hard please on sharing awareness about Kurds. Also please learn and share about Assyrians, Ezidis, Yarsani, Turkomanis, and the many Arabs who also support the causes. It's a lifelong journey and every time you share then you'll also have the opportunity to learn more and it'll sprout in unexpected ways like this speech recently has, In such heartbreaking circumstances then every bit of awareness helps. The people here in Erbil are watching and listening to the global reaction.

[@vincentfassom1354]

Thank you Levi. Hope to visit Kurdistan. The whole world can learn a lot from the Kurds.

[@leviclancy]

I hope everyone can visit Kurdistan. You can always find me online if you have any questions!

[@sharonc8138]

The Kurds are sanity in the Middle East. Would be nice if the rest of the Middle East could take a moment and see what they could be like too. Like the Kurds.

[@ms9771]

Please this Jewish man , hid Israeli best friend of Saddam hossain, how sold weapons to saddam and, saddam used not only those bomb and weapans to kill Kurd of Iran, also chemical nerve gas used to suffer the Iranian kurdish, as ravange,

[@leviclancy]

M S You are a liar and my Jewishness activates all your hate speech. Sharon, thank you for your warm comment and there is much to learn from this imperfect - but much better - country within a country.

[@loralieisa]

@Washington Clinton They say history repeats itself, and that notion holds true with regards to Turkish leadership.

[@darrelllee7946]

Thank you for sharing, so much beuty, love, and hope. I feel better for knowing ,yet the sadness of the suffering the Kurds have had to endure is overwhelming. Such a beutiful people.

[@dhaksinv293]

I'm from India and can I get citizenship in Kurdistan? This is the type of country I dream to live in!

[@hlawran]

Good job Levi

[@toqa6735]

I was born in Kirkuk (domiez) in year 2000💜Thank you Levi from Baghdad (saydia) for educating the foreigners

[@juanemad1512]

i'm proud of you

[@d.m.d7600]

So proud ❤️

[@itsnesi3929]

This is so beautiful. Wishing for all of Kurdistan, all 4 regions, to gain independence and unite

[@ballennameeq4201]

Well done

[@leviclancy]

Thank you so much. I never imagined the results that would come over two years later as people come searching for more information about Kurdistan.

[@florencegushue919]

My Grade four Geography is expanded!

[@marcluohmy8243]

God Bless You Levi.

[@KURDinEXILE]

Biji Kurdistan 🇹🇯🗽 Long live USA🇺🇸!

[@KURDinEXILE]

I voted YES for an independent Kurdistan 🇹🇯🗽

[@childishbrownie]

Good. Give them some land in Arizona

[@user-zw5xh6qf1c]

levi you are special

[@ThinkDeep_Official]

Kurds are the largest nationality without state, With the fact that the most prominent figure of Muslim History is Saladin (Kurdish Origin) became sultan in 1181, regained Jerusalem in 1187.

[@leroya160]

Ever since I read the Thirteenth Tribe I've wondered where the physical descendants of Israel were I wonder how many of them are Kurds?

[@VanWilshere2134]

They are most likely Assyrian Jews that speak dialects of neo-Aramaic. It is very unlikely that they are Kurdish.

[@leroya160]

@@VanWilshere2134 Thanks

[@daughterofzion1083]

God bless you Levi ✝️🙏

[@sazgarmuhammad8364]

as a Kurd thank you levi

[@hnttakata713]

What side of history do you stand upon?

[@kobanichelsea3740]

All I know is America betrayed the Kurds once again

[@sonislife1981]

🙏❤❤I Love And Respec Free (Azad) Kurdistan, Kurdish People Are The Great Clean Heart Breve People Of The World. If Needed I Will Fight For Free Kurdistan. ❤❤🙏

[@solomongelgor6939]

The world needs to recognize the Kurds as a nation! That means Turkey, Syria, Iraq & Iran to conform! Is this a possibility? It is time for this to happen!

[@yahyamohammed6729]

Alot of our blood has spilled chasing this dream, and alot more will. This is all we want, an United and independent kirdistan. But sadly the odds arent in our favor.

[@seyitahmetalhakaplan]

Kurds living in Turkey extremely good condition. The Turkish State knows them.

[@kurdobakur7047]

We, the Kurds, strive to build a secular, egalitarian, gender equal and tolerant society but we are not only surrounded by the most murderous neighbours who occupy our land but also their fundamentalist islamist ideology.

[@Sherryjo]

I am feyli, its not a religion its a tribe

[@markelsdon2453]

Long live APO and kurdistian

[@nadyzhahrawy6965]

Amed is the capital of Kurdistan

[@rammpro]

No wonder they get along so good, isnt like the one has already stolen and the other wants to steal Land .

[@leviclancy]

You mean because I am Jewish?

[@rammpro]

@@leviclancy im just saying its official Policiy of the peace loving Netanjahu, im just reacting on the commentary . Geopolitics interests me , i dont care where somebody is from . No offence see it as you wish.

[@leviclancy]

Volkan The official policy of the state of Israel is to sometimes purchase land, but for most of the millions of Jews and Arabs they're just living their lives.

[@urbancitizen5079]

Give them their own land/country.

[@sargent4465]

You can give them Nashville! They can settle down in Nashville and ask for indipendence

[@Anw221]

​@@sargent4465Nashville was never ours but those lands you stole were ours for thousands of years we are descendants of the medes and the hurrians making us the indigenous people of those lands unlike you

[@magus9dannugcris]

Kurds. Why did Saddam want to take them out?

[@leviclancy]

Arab supremacism.

[@kurdobakur7047]

Saddam did just any other occupation force would do, 'exterminate the indigenous and steal their land.'

[@VanWilshere2134]

@@kurdobakur7047 Kurds are not indigenous to Iraq.

[@kurdobakur7047]

@@VanWilshere2134 you are right, the Kurds are indigenous to Kurdistan. The Iraq is a fake state created by Sykes-Picot agreement.

[@lasluqman3360]

@@kurdobakur7047 absolutely wonderful comeback with historical facts too!

[@amelchabo7483]

Arbil the name is assyrien name that mean arba il 4 Gods

[@amelchabo7483]

Fotnot troget they have ibn timiha like en exempel in thier religon

[@baghdeda]

This is a pure propaganda for the Kurdish parties. A Christian or a Yezidi would never get a high ranking position if they're not members of the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP). Don't forget that as late as the 1960's, most parts of North Iraqi had a Christian majority. Christians were displaced to Baghdad, Mosul and other Iraqi cities and were never allowed to go back to their villages.

[@gokturkergenekon1165]

It is so funny that Even kurds are not optimistic about themselves as much as you.

[@PeyloBeauty]

Um what LMAOOO kurds are so proud of themselves as a nation in the most non-down bringing way ever. Since decades and decades we’re optimistic, that’s why we still don’t give up. And they never will

[@SuperVendetta9]

People should stop using the word 'amazing'. It is overused and discredits anything said afterward. Ugh!!!

[@gokturkergenekon1165]

Lovely kurds or Oil ? :)

[@yahyamohammed6729]

Why are you spamming negative comments lol

[@user-er3kw8hv7i]

Go back to Mongolia

[@sargent4465]

@@yahyamohammed6729 because he is right with his statement!

[@howardjohnson2138]

No such thing as kurdistan - kurds are mohammidans. mohammidans are mohammidans

[@lebotonton]

Christians are not all the same .

[@foggyfarm926]

There should have been a Kurdistan but Churchill messed that up after WW1

[@frankspeaking2630]

@@foggyfarm926 Correct

[@leviclancy]

This is probably the stupidest comment I've read yet on my video. What do you know about the diversity and beauty of Islam, and who are you to confuse ethnicity and religion?

[@dildic]

Kurdistan, Kurdistan, Kurdistan and show us ewereting from another civilization nothing from Kurdistan because Kurdistan don't exist in real life.

[@Coldbrew365]

dildic everything from your culture is almost Kurdish and you live in Kurdistan, according to your ancestors.

[@unwanted8667]

Dont be upset you will hear the word again and again. And you will get used to it.

[@artemisa9390]

Kurdistan is never be a county and it is not a country ! you are talking about Iraq ! read geography I know "Americans" are not good at it, if you call yourself American!!! but this is good propaganda you just care about for bigger Israel ... * Kirkuk is not part of Erbil area, you mentioned b/c this city has an oil ....

[@leviclancy]

I mentioned Kirkuk because it was part of the Kurdistan Region's administration when I did this talk and because it has a huge Kurdish population. The idea of "Greater Israel" only exists in the mind of some Middle East conspiracy theorists, the Israelis have no desire to destroy their country by extending their borders to include horrible failed neighboring states. Iraq etc invaded Israel, not the other way around, and no the blue stripes on the flag don't represent the rivers.

[@shohanhawramy7755]

There many countries in middle east that DID NOT exist before the British and France modern geopolitical creation. Iraq saudia Arabia, Israel, Kuwait the list is long would you like me to name them all including Asia south Asia and Africa???

[@artemisa9390]

Shohan HAWRAMY exactly and not real countries just bring more conflict in region for bigger result just for one country in Central Asia

[@artemisa9390]

Levi Clancy o yes I believe you !

[@VanWilshere2134]

​@@leviclancy Hi Levi. Would you be doing any talks on Assyrians, the indigenous people of northern Iraq? It seems that there is often confusion and Assyrians are ignored, yet are often the minority that end up suffering the most from war between Kurds and Arabs in Iraq.

[@Sherryjo]

I am feyli, its not a religion its a tribe