The aim of Radio al Salam, launched in Erbil, Iraq on 5 April 2015, is to give voice and comfort to the refugees in the northern part of the country, regardless of religious affiliation. In fact, the masses of refugees in this region come from many different ethnic and religious groups (Christian, Muslim, Kurd, Zaidi Shiite, etc.)–all forced to abandon their homes because of the Jihadist offensive of the Islamic State.
“This radio station is for all those who have been driven from their homes, for all refugees,” said Fr. Pascal Gollnisch during the inaugural transmission. Fr. Gollnisch is a member of the Ouvre d’Orient (Window on the East) organization, which, together with the Raoul Follereau Foundation, is supporting this initiative. “As the name suggests,” the French missionary continued, “Radio al Salam is a radio station for peace. Its purpose is to give concrete help to the daily lives of the displaced.”
It is estimated that more than 2 million.