Barav Barzani is the founder and president of the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture. 

The Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture (KCAC) aims to revolutionize cultural engagement in Kurdistan and shape how its cultural heritage is perceived globally, presenting an authentic and unifying vision of Kurdistan through its vibrant culture and art beyond political divisions.

KCAC strives to make Kurdistan accessible to everyone worldwide through various mediums, including archives, photojournalism, film, and exhibition, forming a community hub to foster understanding and appreciation of Kurdistan’s culture.

This organization belongs to the Kurdistani people, it is our collective property for Kurdistan, by Kurdistan to Kurdistan and the world.

It is not only the work of the present but the legacy of every individual who strived under this flag, and the bearer of our flag into the future.

Bedran Habeeb serves as the Vice President of the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture. In this capacity, he manages communications for KCAC. He uses his wealth of literary connections and experience to oversee KCAC’s Archive division.

Bedran is the founder and former director of Aras Publications, Kurdistan’s largest literary publication house. He also founded and directed AK News, a multilingual, Kurdistan-based news agency committed to delivering independent news on Iraq. In his time as Cultural Advisor to the Prime Minister of the KRG, he built cultural programs. He supported artists and writers in the Kurdistan region.

Mohammed Fatih is the Executive Director at the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture (KCAC). As an accomplished professional with a diverse background in arts, culture, research, and Law, he brings invaluable expertise to his role.

Mohammed pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Law from the American University in Iraq Slemani (AUIS). During his time at AUIS, his legal acumen led him to represent the university’s Moot Court team at the renowned Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C., following his victory in regional and national competitions in Iraq.

Before his current position, Mohammed worked as a researcher and literary translator at Kashkul, contributing to various literature and cultural exploration projects. In addition to his academic achievements, Mohammed has furthered his intellectual growth by studying Applied Islamic Ethics at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar for two years. This enriching experience deepened his understanding of ethical principles and their practical applications.

Aween Aso works as the Archival Digitization Supervisor at the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture. She supervises the digitization of a wide variety of materials with meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to preserving historical artifacts in accordance with the Center’s core values and industry best practices, utilizing the latest digitization technologies to guarantee quality standards.

She holds an International Studies and Business Bachelors from the American University of Iraq in Sulaimani. She has experienced several organizational roles that have equipped her with the necessary skills to actively stay informed about emerging trends in digital preservation and archival practices for accurate and comprehensive documentation of each digitized item.

Daban Hamid is an Advisor to the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture, contributing to developing the organization’s strategy and operating model and continuing to guide its growth.

With over 13 years of experience in strategy consulting, he has worked for top-tier consulting firms, addressing complex strategic challenges for both the public and private sectors. Daban holds a Masters of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Imperial College London.

Anna Zamecka is the director of Curated by KCAC, the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture’s division devoted to creative projects. In this role, she collaborates with artists and implements projects dedicated to elevating the arts in Kurdistan.

Anna is a writer and director whose films blur the line between fiction and documentary. Her work has been exhibited at many international festivals and venues. Anna’s acclaimed feature-length debut “Communion” premiered in Locarno in 2016 (Critics’ Week Award) and received over 40 awards, including the European Film Award for Best European Documentary of 2017. Additionally, it was shortlisted for Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards (Oscars). Anna is currently preparing to enter production on her second feature film. 

Anna was a guest lecturer on documentary film at Harvard University, Dartmouth College and Rutgers University in the USA. She is a member of the European Film Academy and the Polish Film Academy and was a DAAD Artists-in-Berlin program fellow in 2021. She is currently based between Erbil and her home in the primeval Białowieża Forest in Poland.

Marina Wondrich is the Executive Assistant at the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture. She oversees daily operations at KCAC, focusing on facilitating communications and building international networks.

She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Archaeology and Classical Languages from Hunter College in New York City in 2019. She completed an MPhil in Archaeology from the University of Cambridge with a focus on Assyriology. Her experience in various cultural heritage institutions abroad and archaeological excavations in Italy and Turkey has provided her with administrative skills and cultural heritage policy expertise.

Rekan Omer is the Chief Accountant at the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture, where he takes charge of financial management and reporting activities. With meticulous attention to detail, Rekan excels in budgeting, financial planning, and preparing accurate financial statements.

Before his current role, Rekan gained valuable experience as an Associate Auditor II at Ernst & Young. During his tenure, he made significant contributions to audit planning and execution, ensuring the integrity and fairness of client financial statements. Rekan is pursuing the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification. Additionally, he holds a Certificate in Japanese Language Studies from Keio University, showcasing his linguistic abilities. Moreover, Rekan earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from The American University of Iraq, Sulaimani.

Shene Mohammed is a translator at the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture. She is translating the autobiography of the renowned poet, philologist, and translator Hazhar Mukriyani, along with Kurdish folktales and poems.

Shene graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani, and is a Literary Translation MFA graduate from the University of Iowa. She has served as a Managing Editor for Exchanges Journal of Literary Translation. Her writing has appeared in Translation Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, Poetry, World Literature Today, M—Dash, Modern Poetry in Translation, Balinde, and Chirok.

Fateh Rebar Khaleel serves as Communication Officer at the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture (KCAC). Fateh is a student in Economics and Finance at the University of Kurdistan Hewler (UKH), and leverages a background in organization and coordination from previous roles at UKH’s American Corner Erbil in his work at KCAC. Presently, in charge of Public Relations, he puts forth his utmost effort in establishing professional connections with other academic, cultural, and artistic institutions and in representing KCAC in meetings, events, and conferences.

Lena Knezevic is a librarian based in Washington, DC. She acts as an Archival Advisor for the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture, reviewing KCAC’s metadata to ensure alignment with international standards. Her current work involves curating data from international development projects for a digital repository. In the past, she has developed accessible websites for a nonprofit organization that works with blind and visually impaired individuals in South Africa, created an online library catalog for a senior living community, and digitized archival materials for the Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas. Lena received a master’s degree in Information Studies from the University of Michigan in 2019.

Rebeen Hawezy serves as a Digitization Operator at the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture (KCAC). Rebeen holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering and has worked as a data entry specialist and computer technician. Having received training by a team of international experts at KCAC, Rebeen carefully ensures that all materials are scanned and registered according to global standards of library sciences.

Alissa Bouler Elliott (MA, Vanderbilt University; MFA, Sewanee School of Letters) is an editor, poet, and translator who lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband and two daughters. Alissa has taught and tutored writing for all levels of adolescent and adult students. Her work has appeared in Pedestal Magazine, Ezra, The Shakespeare Standard, Kurdish TV network NRT, and is forthcoming in Footnote. She recently edited The Food of the Mosque Servant for KCAC.