Shemdin

Long before the Ottoman Empire, Kurdistan existed. Tucked among the Zagros and Taurus mountains and beyond, the people of Kurdistan lived as their ancestors had until the splintering of their lands following World War I.

Hazim Beg Shemdin Agha foresaw the changes that would come during his lifetime, and after.

Born in 1901 to a distinguished Kurdish family in Zakho, Iraq, he passionately believed in education as the foundation of liberty and social justice. As the leader of his tribe and a senator in the Iraqi parliament during the tumultuous first half of the 20th century, he used his power and wealth to serve his people.

This book recounts the passing of an era, as told through the author's personal reflections about a great man and his efforts to modernize and bring peace to his corner of Kurdistan.

Hazar Shemdin was born in Zakho, Iraq, and graduated in Baghdad from Al-Hikma University (an affiliate of Boston College, Massachusetts, USA). She had an active career as an accounting manager in Chicago, and became a real estate broker in California. She is a member of North California Publishers & Authors (NCPA), a member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), and a member of Toastmasters, where she has earned the advanced Gold Certificate. Hazar speaks Kurdish, Arabic, and English, and lives with her husband in Sacramento, California. She enjoys walking, reading, traveling, and charity work.