Jalal Barzanji reflects on honorary doctorate from University of Alberta

ERBIL, November 27 —  Kurdish author Jalal Barzanji’s journey from a Baath-regime prisoner to renowned poet and writer was most recently capped by an honorary doctorate in literature from the University of Alberta, making him the first Kurdish author to receive such a distinction from the Canadian university.

Born in 1953 in Erbil, Barzanji has authored a number of literary pieces, including “The Man in Blue Pyjamas: A Prison Memoir,” published in 2011 and completed while he was Writer-in-Exile for the city of Edmonton, Alberta.

Barzanji told 964, “This is the highest academic honor at the University of Alberta, conferred upon individuals whose contributions to literature, science, and law transcend national boundaries, benefiting humanity on an international scale.”