Famous Kurds

famous kurds masoud barzani with pope

Famous Kurds have lived among us throughout history. From politicians and activists, to entrepreneurs and musicians, a range of well-known figures hail from the Kurdistan region. From creating the world’s leading Greek yogurt brand to heroically protecting the rights of Kurdish people, prominent Kurdish figures have deeply impacted every society they’ve touched.

At the Kurdish Project, our mission is to raise awareness and celebrate Kurdish culture and to build bridges between Kurds and the West. Below you will find profiles of Kurds who have made a significant impact on culture, politics, and society at-large.

Famous Kurds

Famous Kurds

Bahman Ghobadi

It didn’t take long after the production of his first feature film, A Time for Drunken Horses, for Bahman Ghobadi to become one of the world’s most celebrated cinematic auteurs. Ghobadi was born in Iranian Kurdistan and studied...

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Famous Kurds

Hamdi Ulukaya

In 2016, Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder and CEO of Chobani — the yogurt brand which redefined the American dairy marketplace when it hit stores in 2007 — made waves when he granted 10 percent of the billion-dollar dairy...

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Famous Kurds

Nadia Murad

The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to 25-year-old Yazidi activist, Nadia Murad, and Congolese gynecologist, Denis Mukwege, for their “efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.” In recent...

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