Dakhil Elias

Dakhil Elias joined VOA in 1999 as an international broadcaster. Born in Sheikhan, Iraq, a town of mixed population of Yazidis, Christians, and Muslims, Elias is the host of two weekly shows: “Kurd Connection” (TV) and “We and Politics” (Radio). Prior to VOA, he worked as an editor, writer and researcher for Lalish, a magazine based in Duhok, Kurdistan, specializing in Yazidi research and cultural studies in both Kurdish and Arabic languages. He also worked as an editor, translator, and journalist for the daily newspaper, “New Kurdistan” and translated the book “Yazidis and their Religion” by Kurdish writer Shakir Fatah. Elias has participated in multiple conferences and meetings within the Department of State, Congress, Department of Defense, the UN, as well as academic institutions on the topics of Iraq, Kurdistan and religious minorities in that region. He is also the founder and director of the American Ezidi Center in Washington D.C., dedicated to educating the U.S. government, institutions, scholars, and the public about Ezidi history, heritage, and culture. He’s a graduate of the Technical University in Baghdad, Iraq and holds a Bachelor of Arts in government and international politics from George Mason University.