About

The Peywend – Kurdish Center for Public Relations is an independent, non-profit organization comprised of a large regional network of academics, journalists, and experts. Peywend is a hub for knowledge and understanding and serves as a reliable resource for journalists, scholars, policymakers, and the general public, contributing to a more informed and nuanced understanding of Kurdistan, its people and related issues.

Aim

The Peywend was established as an effort to address a lack of reliable, independent media coverage regarding developments in the region. Long-standing policies of oppression and denial against the Kurds and other peoples of the region, as well as a situation of war and conflict, have distorted perceptions of the region, and often lead to biased narratives and reporting. As a result, the reality of Kurdistan and its peoples has remained largely unknown to the international public.

The Peywend seeks to provide exclusive, well-researched, and reliable information to the international public on the situation in Kurdistan, the Middle East, and within the Kurdish Diaspora. To do this we work closely with civil and political institutions, think tanks, organizations, and experts throughout the region, and publish regular in-depth reports and analysis as well as information on new developments. We further aim to help journalists, researchers, and policy-makers to build connections and obtain information, interview partners, analysis, video, and photographic material from the region.

Through our work, we aim to provide insight into the diversity of a region that is not just about geopolitics and conflict, but one marked by ancient history, cultural heritage, rich geography, vibrant communities, innovative ideas, and democratic politics. With this perspective, we foster connections and exchanges between academics, journalists, artists, and politicians with those working and living on the ground who have first-hand knowledge of these topics.

Method

Our approach to research and journalistic work seeks to be comprehensive through three key dimensions: historicity, a recognition of the interconnections on a global scale, and social agency. First, we believe that one cannot understand a subject without looking at its emergence and ongoing transformations. Furthermore, we acknowledge the geopolitical interconnectedness of the global, regional and local levels if we want to understand the Kurdish political space and the broader Middle East region. And last but not least, it’s essential for us to respect the social agency of the people, who develop their own ideas about their living conditions, needs and interests and actively lead their lives.