Kurdistan in America
"The 'Kurdistan in America' podcast is the official voice of the Kurdistan Regional Government Representation in the United States, headquartered in Washington, DC. Its primary objective is to delve into the rich ties between Kurdistan and the United States. Now in its fourth season, this English-language podcast is published monthly, covering a broad spectrum of subjects such as art, culture, security, politics, humanitarian issues, and economics. We're proud to announce that 'Kurdistan in America' was featured in Welp Magazine’s list of the '20 Best Government Relations Podcasts of 2021'. For further details, visit us at us.gov.krd or follow us on Twitter at @KRG_USA. The music featured in this podcast is Zakaria's "Bo Kurdistan" - https://youtu.be/cE3bid6Td_g."
Kurdistan in America
S4 Episode 6 - Interview with the KRG Representative to the US, Ms. Bayan Abdul Rahman
The Kurdistan in America podcast is honored to have Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, the Kurdistan Regional Government Representative to the United States, as its guest in episode 6 of season four.
Ms Abdul Rahman was appointed the KRG envoy to the United States in 2015 and is about to embark on a new chapter of her career in public service by taking on the role of advisor to Prime Minister Masrour Barzani for foreign affairs and climate change.
In this interview, Ms Abdul Rahman recounts her childhood in Kurdistan, Baghdad and Iran before moving to the UK as a refugee. She describes her successful career as a journalist in the UK and Japan, working for the Financial Times among other newspapers, and her transition to a career in diplomacy, first in London and then Washington.
The KRG envoy’s father, Sami Abdul Rahman, was a veteran of the Kurdish freedom movement and played a critical leadership role in the Kurdish and Iraqi opposition to Saddam Hussein’s regime. He was killed alongside his elder son Salah and more than 100 others in a twin suicide bombing in 2004.
Our conversation covers Representative Abdul Rahman’s personal journey, her reflections on some of her achievements in the past eight years in Washington and what drives her passion for public service.