KCAC Archive

Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture Promo Video

The KCAC Archive offers a comprehensive digital collection of books, manuscripts, photographs, periodicals, and historical documents from diverse collections throughout Kurdistan. Using state-of-the-art technologies, our archive provides an indispensable research tool for scholars and enthusiasts of Kurdish history, literature, and culture.

About the KCAC Archive

Kurdish archival heritage has been threatened for generations, with historic collections often dispersed, destroyed, or hidden underground due to conflict and persecution. Now, we must act to uncover and preserve these treasure troves of Kurdish history, especially in light of political uncertainty and environmental concerns.  We are hard at work digitizing the collections of a rich network of Kurdish scholars and preservationists, along with the libraries of universities and public institutions in the region. This initiative makes these resources available to the global community in a united form for the first time. 
VIEW ARCHIVE

In order to reach precious archival items all across the region, we have formed Kurdistan’s first mobile digitization unit. Using a custom van outfitted with specialized scanners, our internationally trained team travels throughout Kurdistan seeking collections. From urban institutions to remote villages, from extensive libraries to small treasures, no archive in Kurdistan is out of our reach. We are hard at work digitizing the collections of a rich network of Kurdish scholars and preservationists, along with the libraries of universities and public institutions in the region. This initiative makes these resources available to the global community in a united form for the first time. 

KCAC-İBV Istanbul Digitization Unit: Archiving Beyond Borders

In July of 2025, we proudly launched the Istanbul Digitization Unit, a groundbreaking collaboration between the Kurdistan Center for Art and Culture (KCAC) and the İsmail Beşikci Vakfı (İBV). This joint initiative marks a major step toward preserving and promoting Kurdistan’s cultural and literary heritage through shared archiving efforts. At the heart of this effort is the İBV Research Library in Istanbul. The unit is currently at work digitizing the library’s 20,000 volumes, making these invaluable academic and literary works accessible to a global audience. Training sessions have laid the foundation for a comprehensive digital access infrastructure, equipping our joint team with the tools to manage and share these collections via the KCAC platform. This initiative expands our mission of building a unified Kurdish archive and protecting Kurdish history for future generations through bringing together Kurdish archives worldwide and strengthening international cooperation in cultural preservation.

Kurdish Women: Memory and Archives

A Joint Call from KCAC and The Jiyan Archives

The Jiyan Archives is a multimedia archive dedicated to preserving and documenting the lives, culture, identity, and diversity of Kurdish women. Founded in 2021 by Raz Xaidan, this independent public archive highlights the stories of Kurdish women across both Kurdistan and the global diaspora.

 

KCAC has partnered with The Jiyan Archives to collect photos, archival materials, and memories from Kurdish women for a historic publication celebrating their lives and contributions. We call on the community to share memories of extraordinary Kurdish women in their lives—through photos, letters, documents, books, and more. These stories will be brought to life through the curatorial vision of The Jiyan Archives.

 

There are two ways to submit materials. You may visit The Jiyan Archives’ website to access an online submission form, or you may visit KCAC’s office in Erbil to scan items in person with a member of our team. Any materials documenting the often-unseen lives of Kurdish women are welcome. All items will be jointly preserved by KCAC and The Jiyan Archives.

 

To arrange an appointment with KCAC’s team, please email us at information@kcac.org with a brief summary of your materials. Tell us their categories (photographs; letters or documents; books; personal items) and their relationship to a Kurdish woman, and we will help you preserve these memories for future generations.

This collaboration prioritizes the inclusion and representation of Kurdish women, ensuring that featured voices and contributions, regardless of regional, religious, or political backgrounds, are respected and valued throughout the process. All proceeds from this publication will be directed towards Kurdish-led women’s charities.

All work developed through this archival-led partnership centers 

  1. Active community engagement, with a specific emphasis on amplifying Kurdish women’s voices and knowledge.
  2. Sustained, value-driven impact, particularly in education, cultural preservation, and the empowerment of Kurdish women.
  3. Internal learning, growth, and development, with a focus on identity and gender-inclusive practices.