List of Famous people born on January 1st

Riad al-Turk is a prominent Syrian opposition leader, former political prisoner for about 20 years in Syria, and supporter of democracy, who has been called "the Old Man of Syrian opposition." He was secretary general of the Syrian Communist Party since its foundation in 1973 until 2005.

Kenzo Suzuki is a Japanese astronomer from Toyota, Aichi, Japan. Between 1984 and 1992, he has discovered 42 minor planets mostly in collaboration with astronomers Takeshi Urata and Toshimasa Furuta.

Omer Faruk Tekbilek is a Turkish musician and composer, who plays a wide range of wind, string, percussion and electronic instruments. He has developed a style that builds on traditional Sufi music, but includes inspiration from ambient electronic musicians, most notably Brian Keane. He is best known for his performances with the flute-like ney, but also plays the piccolo-like kaval, and the double-reed zurna. Among stringed instruments, he plays the oud and the bağlama.