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The Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace (GKIP) is a research initiative of the School of International Service at American University. We use our platform to grow recognition of the long and rich history and cultural traditions of the Kurdish people, work toward understanding of the challenges faced by the Kurdish communities in the Middle East, and draw attention to the positive contributions of the Kurdish diaspora worldwide.

Our Donors

GKIP and The Barzani Scholar of Global Kurdish Studies position are funded through generous, ongoing support from the Family of Mustafa Barzani.

Kurdish History

The rich history of Kurds spans millennia, woven with threads of resilience, cultural vibrancy, and a persistent quest for autonomy. Nestled in the mountainous cradle of the Middle East, Kurdish communities have lived and flourished since ancient times in their ancestral land—Kurdistan, leaving their mark on empires like the Medes, Parthians, and the Ottomans. Ìý

Despite their geographic and cultural unity, Kurds have often found themselves divided by political borders, their ancestral land—Kurdistan—carved up between powerful neighbors. From the Ottoman era to the modern nation-states of Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria, Kurds have navigated a complex landscape of assimilation and resistance. They have faced repression, marginalization, and genocide, yet their spirit has remained unbroken, finding expression through their distinct language—Kurdish, composed of various dialects, vibrant folk traditions, a distinct musical identity, and a fiercely independent spirit.Ìý

In recent decades, the Kurdish struggle for self-determination has gained international attention. The emergence of Kurdish political movements and the establishment of semi-autonomous regions of Kurdistan Region in Iraq and The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, also known as Rojava have sparked hope for a future where Kurds can govern their own destiny. However, the path to autonomy remains fraught with challenges, as Kurds continue to grapple with internal divisions, treacherous geopolitics, and external pressures. Despite the uncertainties, the Kurdish story continues to unfold, a testament to the enduring spirit of a people who have defied the odds for centuries.Ìý

Our People

The Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace is led by SIS professor andÌýBarzani Scholar of Global Kurdish Studies Yerevan Saeed. Professor Saeed is joined by a group of affiiated scholars from across American University.

Yerevan Saeed Barzani Scholar-in-Residence SIS | Politics, Governance & Economics

Yerevan Saeed is the Barzani Scholar in Residence at American University’s School of International Service and a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington He is a TEDx speake…

Ìý ysaeed@american.edu

Elizabeth Thompson Professor and Mohamed S. Farsi Chair of Islamic Peace, SIS SIS | Global Inquiry

Elizabeth F. Thompson is a historian of social movements and liberal constitutionalism in the Middle East, with a focus on how race and gender relations have been conditioned by foreign intervention a…

Ìý eft@american.edu

Ìý (202) 885-1632