The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) was founded in the city of Mahabad in Iranian Kurdistan on August 16, 1945. Three years earlier, the founding members of the PDKI had established an organization called Komalay Ziyanaway Kurd (The Society for Kurdish Resurrection). The PDKI was founded to replace Komalay Ziyanaway Kurd for the purpose of creating a modern, well-organized and popular political party with an explicit commitment to democracy, liberty, social justice and gender equality. Only 159 days after the founding of the PDKI the party established the Republic of Kurdistan.