Widad Akrawi: Kurdish Iraqi-Swedish Educator and Global Peace Builder
- Mehmet Özdemir
- 12 hours ago
- 2 min read
Who Is Widad Akrawi?
Widad Akrawi is a Kurdish Iraqi-Swedish educator and peace builder born in 1969 in Iraqi Kurdistan who has built an internationally recognised career in education for peace, tolerance, and human rights. She is the founder and director of the Culture of Peace Initiative and has worked with UNESCO and other international organisations on education programmes in conflict and post-conflict settings.
Her work brings the perspective of a Kurdish woman who experienced war, displacement, and the denial of education to her advocacy for the right to education and peace. She has been recognised by UNESCO and other international bodies for her contributions to peace education and has spoken at the United Nations and other international forums.
Her journey — from Iraqi Kurdistan to international peace-building — is one of the most remarkable in Kurdish diaspora history, demonstrating the contribution Kurdish women can make to global peace work.
Key Takeaways
• Born in 1969 in Iraqi Kurdistan; based in Sweden.
• Founder of Culture of Peace Initiative; works with UNESCO.
• Internationally recognised for peace-building through education.
• Her Kurdish background informs her advocacy for education rights in conflict settings.
• Has spoken at the United Nations and other international forums.
Quick Facts
Table of Contents
Early Life
Born in 1969 in Iraqi Kurdistan. She experienced the denial of Kurdish educational rights under Saddam Hussein and eventually settled in Sweden, where she built her career in peace education and became internationally recognised for her work.
Historical Context
Education in conflict zones and post-conflict settings is a critical human rights issue. Widad Akrawi's personal experience of Kurdish educational deprivation under Ba'ath rule gives her advocacy a depth of lived experience that informs her global peace-building work.
Achievements
Culture of Peace Initiative and International Recognition
Widad Akrawi's founding and direction of the Culture of Peace Initiative has brought education-based peace building to conflict and post-conflict settings worldwide. Her recognition by UNESCO and other international bodies, and her representation of peace education at the United Nations, have made her one of the most internationally recognised Kurdish women in the field of education and peace.
Timeline
Debates
Her Kurdish identity and her peace-building achievements are established.
Legacy
Widad Akrawi is one of the most internationally recognised Kurdish women in the field of education and peace building — a woman whose personal experience of Kurdish educational deprivation has been transformed into a global advocacy for the right to education and peace.
Connections
FAQ
Who is Widad Akrawi?
Widad Akrawi (born 1969) is a Kurdish Iraqi-Swedish educator and peace builder who founded the Culture of Peace Initiative and has been internationally recognised by UNESCO for her work in peace education in conflict settings.
Was Widad Akrawi Kurdish?
Yes. She was born in Iraqi Kurdistan and her Kurdish background informs her advocacy for education rights and peace building.
References
Wikipedia contributors. 'Widad Akrawi.' Wikipedia. Accessed 2025.
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