The war-scarred city of Mosul in Iraq concluded the sixth edition of the Abu Tammam Festival for Arabic Poetry on Sunday, marking a return of the cultural event after decades of conflict.
The four-day festival, named after the famed Abbasid poet, brought together over 120 Iraqi and Arab poets for recitings, discussions, and art exhibitions. It is considered one of the most significant poetry gatherings in Iraq.
“The festival’s events aimed to reconnect with the city’s literary heritage,” said Khaled al-Yassari, a member of the Nineveh Writers and Authors Union, speaking to Shafaq News Agency. “The poems resonated with the audience’s desire for peace and reconstruction.”
The festival was held in four locations across Mosul, showcasing the city’s ongoing restoration efforts. The opening ceremony was held at the Ashur Mall, while subsequent events took place at the Book Forum, the Mosul Civilization Museum, and the Mosul Heritage House.
Al-Yaseri said that the events included poetry recitals, dialogues between poets, a photographic exhibition, and heritage tours.
The closing ceremony at the historic Beit Al-Tutunji landmark promises a “grand celebration” befitting Mosul’s rich history, according to the writer.
The first Abu Tammam festival was held in 1971. The tradition was disrupted by the wars that ravaged the country.
“The second and third editions took place in 1993 and 1998. The fourth was before the ISIS invasion in 2012,” al-Yassari said. “This event marks the second since the territorial defeat of ISIS in 2017. The first was in 2018.”
