By Kunal Chan Mehta, FSB’s Public Relations Manager, Article Date: 30 March 2023

                  Dr. John Pomeroy, FSB’s Principal, outlines that the programme was part of a Prevent training event for FSB students and staff

Students at FSB Croydon participated in a ground-breaking Virtual Reality (VR) experience and immersive exhibition programme that brings attention to the Yazidi genocide initiated by ISIS in northern Iraq during the summer of 2014. The award-winning experience from ‘Nobody’s Listening’ uses cutting-edge technology to further explore the devastating consequences of genocidal campaigns on persecuted communities and their cultural heritage.

The event, as part of a Prevent training event for staff and students – and in conjunction with the Croydon Council Prevent Training Officer, Cordelia Shaw, was organised by Dhaneswar Chooramun, FSB Croydon’s Associate Dean, who was deeply moved by the plight of the Yazidi people. ‘We wanted to use our platform to raise awareness of this ongoing issue and provide a space where the voices of the Yazidi people can be heard.’ ‘Nobody’s Listening is a platform for those suffering to share stories and express their pain and anguish,’ added Zerka Sahak, a Student Support Officer at FSB Croydon, who helped coordinate the event.

                          Dhaneswar Chooramun, FSB Croydon’s Associate Dean, exploring new worlds without leaving his seat (Photo: FSB)

The exhibition serves as a homage and tribute to the courage, determination, and agency of the survivors. It gives them a space where they can be heard by people around the world. Evando Da Silva, a student studying BA (Hons) Business And Management with Foundation Year at FSB Croydon, added: ‘The VR-based training brought back memories from Angola where I am from and the 30 years of war that I experienced. I really feel for the Yazidi people and hope that justice is brought for them very soon. Together they are one voice, calling for international recognition and justice. Thank you for this brilliant educational and eye-opening opportunity we experienced as students of FSB.’

                            Students stepping into history using VR to learn and empathize with the past (Photo: FSB)

Dr John Pomeroy, FSB’s Principal – and also Prevent Governor – commenting on the immersive nature of VR helping capture student attention and interest said: ‘The exhibition features Virtual Reality experiences that transport visitors to the frontlines of the conflict, where they witness the destruction of the Yazidi community and their cultural heritage. The use of Virtual Reality technology allows visitors to experience the events in a visceral and immersive way, bringing them closer to the reality of the situation.’

In addition to VR experiences, the exhibition also featured art and photography that explored the human cost of the genocide. ‘The photographs and art in the exhibition are incredibly powerful,’ said Mr. Mohammed Zaidi, FSB’s CEO. ‘They bring home the reality of the situation and make you realise the urgent need for justice.’ Mr. Mohammed Zaidi went on say that ‘the use of VR in education’ can offer a range of benefits for both students and educators, making it an exciting and promising technology for the future of higher education.

                                 Giedrius Zilionis, FSB’s Dean of Learning & Teaching, gained a deeper understanding of history and its impact.

                    Dijon Dajee, Art Director and Co-founder of Nobody’s Listening speaks with FSB Croydon students about the immersive project

           Dhaneswar Chooramun, FSB Croydon’s Associate Dean with Dijon Dajee, Art Director and Co-founder of Nobody’s Listening are already in talks for exciting future collaborations

For more information visit: www.nobodys-listening.com