Jalal Barzanji

Jalal Barzanji (July 1, 1953) is a contemporary Kurdish poet, writer and activist known for his multifaceted contributions to literature and culture, in Iraqi Kurdistan and Canada.

Barzanji served on the board of Writers' Union in Iraqi Kurdistan, fleeing in 1996 due to the Iraqi-Kurdish Civil War. In Canada, he and was appointed as the PEN Canada Writer-in-Exile in 2007. A Doctor of Letters, honoris causa (D. Litt.) recipient of the University of Alberta, he was also inducted into the Edmonton City Hall of Fame in 2015 for contributions in Art and Culture.

Barzanji has published numerous books of poetry in English and Kurdish. His critically acclaimed memoir, "The Man in Blue Pyjamas" was published by University of Alberta Press in 2011. For those three years, Barzanji wrote only on scrap paper, smuggled into his cell. He wrote his memoir during his time as the first Writer in Exile of PEN Canada. a remote village situated in Northern Iraq, within the region of Kurdistan. The exact date of his birth is unknown, though thought to be Spring, and is listed as July 1 by the Iraqi government who assigned birthdays to Kurdish citizens. Barzanji grew up in a secluded village, where the establishment of the village's inaugural school came when he was 7 years old. Barzanji reflected on his upbringing as being enveloped by serene landscapes, focused on the simplicity of life amidst towering mountains.

During a period of harsh censorship, Barzanji would go on to author five volumes of poetry, which eventually led to his incarceration by Iraqi security forces.

Relocation to Canada On his release from detention, he relocated his family to Edmonton in 1998. There, Barzanji resumed his literary career, working with organizations such as The Writers Guild of Alberta and the Edmonton Stroll for Poets Society. In 2007, he assumed the inaugural role of PEN Writer-in-Exile, where he would release his literary memoir, "The Man in Blue Pyjamas." Honored as a 2015 inductee into Edmonton's Hall of Fame for his contributions to the arts and culture, Barzanji was also credited with founding initiatives in the Canadian-Kurdish community. In 2022 he was awarded an honorary doctor of letters degree from the University of Alberta.