Theme: Integration and Coexistence

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Youth Center Hall
Goran City
Halabja, As Sulaymānīyah, 46018
Iraq

Berivan Jalal

University Lecturer and Futsal Player in Iraqi National Team

Berivan Jalal Rashid is a player in the Iraq National Football team. She was born in 1995. She graduated from Sulaimani Institute of Sports as the first top student in Kurdistan. She, now, holds a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology. She has played for many teams: Sirwani Sharazur, Sarchnar, Sirwani New, Aphrodite, Erbil Women, Bilady Baghdadi, Halabjay Shaheed, Choman and Zawraa. She has ranked as the first or second top player in different tournaments, and has awarded many trophies, medals and certificates as an outstanding Kurdish, female player. TEDxAshti will open the stage for Halabja’s prominent female player, Berivan Jalal, to preach about how Hawrami and Halabjayee’s beautiful custom of supporting women led her to make her success story.

Bokan Hassan

Contributor in Google Crowdsource community from Kurdistan

He is fondly known as Bokan Jaff. Bokan is a Crowdsource influencer, community builder and top contributor in Google Crowdsource community from Kurdistan, Iraq. He was born in 1991 in Iran. He is the key contributor in adding Sorani dialect of Kurdish to Google Translate. He graduated from English Language and Literature. He participated in more than 28 seminars and meetings with Google in its USA, Singapore, India and Japan offices. He dealt with many obstacles and fixed the issues faced him regarding Kurdish resources and keyboard. In the past seven years, he has translated more than 1,300,000 words from English to Kurdish to help Google. Therefore, he is certified by Google, President of Kurdistan Rigion, Deputy Prime Minister of KRG, and many other parties and organizations. He is a TEDxAhsti speaker who talks about his successful experience to be a creative young innovator in Halabja despite all the challenges he has been through.

Hamid Abdulrahman

Farmer

Hamid Ismael is agri-investor and remarkable farmer. He was born in 1975 in Halabja. He is the founder of Kurdistan Farm in Halabja. He was the pioneer in Iraq to have a market in his own farm to sell its products. He could also invest in fish farming especially salmon fish. He was the manager and establishing member of Afrenar Kurdistan Organization and Halabja Chamber of Commerce. Therefore, he awarded certificates of appreciation from Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government and Sulaimani Research Government. He will talk about his successful journey of investing in locally grown agricultural products, and his ideas to improve agriculture, tourism and farming.

Haval Abubakir

Governor of Sulaymaniyah Province and Assistant Professor

Dr. Haval Abubakir is Sulaimani Governor and an assistant professor of Modern Literature and Journalistic Sciences in University of Sulaimani. He was born in 1971 in Halabja. He has more than 28 publications. He has been a lecturer in different universities; participated in several international conferences and meetings for municipalities, development, alternative energy, cultural exchange, agriculture, industry, trade, universities and research centers in Turkey, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, England, France, Sweden, Austria, Holland, Belgium, and Germany. He has also been an establishing member, editor, executive supervisor and journalist in different organizations, committees and magazines. Being confident and assertive in achieving goals; being a forgiving soul; and admitting mistakes and more are the key points of Dr. Haval Abubakir’s speech in TEDxAshti who is a prominent and successful figure of Halabja.

Hoshyar Ali

Volunteers of cleaning mines in different parts of Kurdistan

He is known as Hoshyar Biyawelayee. He is a loving image of volunteering and sacrifice. He was born in 1963 in Biawela, Halabja. He became peshmerga in 1986, and he was awarded many internal and external grants like a medal from Mam Jalal and Ibrahim Ahmed Golden Prize. Since 1987, he has started cleaning the areas with bomb threats. In the last 37 years, he has cancelled 2,300,000 bombs in different areas in Kurdistan. To raise awareness about bomb threats for people’s safety, from 2015, he has started teaching students voluntarily lessons. Hoshyar, while cancelling bombs, he lost two brothers and both of his legs. On TEDxAshti stage, he will talk about his sacrifice, and how losing his beloved ones and his legs couldn’t stop him from serving his community and environment.

Othman Ghareeb

Professor of Islamic Studies

Dr. Othman Mohammed is a professor of Islamic Studies in Salahaddin University, and he is also the molla in Bakhtiari Mosque in Erbil. He was born in 1972 in Kharpani, Halabja. He was awarded scientific certificates from Abdul-Kareem’y Muddaris, Prof. Dr.Mustafa Zalmi, and Shekh Nuralddin Mufti. He has taught in Baghdad, Koya, Salahaddin and Qala universities, has supervised and evaluated more than 60 MA thesis and PhD dissertations, and has presented many researches, seminars and given speeches in USA, Britain, Germany, Finland, and Turkey. He has also published some books and papers. On TEDxAshti stage, he will shed a light on integration and coexistence, the TEDxAhsti theme, from Halabja to the world.

Shaho Saeed

Assistant Professor of Modern Criticism and Arabic Literature

Dr. Shaho Saeed is an assistant professor of Research Methodology and Academic, BOD president of the Critical Thinking Foundation and former MP of Kurdistan Parliament in Iraq. He holds a Ph.D. in Modern Criticism, M.A. in Comparative Literature and B.A. in Theology and Islamic Studies. He is a Fullbrighter and Humphrey alumnus of the Pennsylvania State University in the field of educational administration and Critical Thinking. He was a visiting researcher in Washington and a critical thinking developer in Pennsylvania. Dr. Shaho is the author of five books, six book chapters, and seven academic articles in Arabic language. In 2019, he was awarded the Hubert H. Humphrey certificate signed by the President of the United States. He was the first prize winner of the Culture Ministry’s Festival and Galawezh Festival. He will utilize his experience to talk about how life obstacles can lead to horizons rather than having a conservative point of view.

Shwan Attof

Film Director

Shwan Attoof is an actor of Kurdish Cinema, TV and Stage who is from Hawraman, Halabja, born in 1972 in Sulaimaniah. He graduated from Sulaimaniah Institude of Electricity, but inspired by Halabja’s massacre to be an actor, so he started in the field in 1988. By now, he owns more than 50 theatrical, cinematic and dramatic works, and he has been an actor, playwright and director who performed in different languages: Kurdish, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, English, and French. On TEDxAshti stage, Shwan will tell us about life-loving of Halabja’s people despite all the tragedies they have been through.

Yerevan Saeed

Lecturer of Political Economy and Conflict Analysis and Resolution at the University of Kurdistan Hewlêr (UKH)

Dr, Yerevan Saeed is a lecturer of political economy. He was born in 1980 in Halabja. He was graduated from Central Teacher’s Institute in Sulaimani. He was the translator and journalist in many international agencies like The Guardian, The New York Times, and BBC. He was the only Kurd among seven students in Iraq to be fully funded for his Bachelor of Arts degree in University of Texas in Austin. He was also Middle East Specialist. In 2015, he became the first White House Reporter/columnist in Washington D.C., USA. Yarevan has many publications in research centers in USA and local newspapers on Kurds and foreign policy. He has also had many TV and radio interviews in BBC, Al Jazeera English, Voice of America, Al-Hurra, i24 News about Kurds, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. He will talk about how perseverance and hard working are always paid off, and he will share the five seets of success.