Iraq – Baghdad honors prized poet Jawahiri with museum

Location: Baghdad – Iraq

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:04:46

Sound: natural

Source: A24 in Baghdad

Restrictions: A24 subscribers

Date: 25/08/ 2022

Storyline:

The Baghdad municipality dedicated the house of the late Iraqi poet Muhammad Mahdi Al Jawahiri last Saturday (Aug 13) as a museum to honor his life and work.

The poet had left Iraq over four decades ago due to his political stance against the regime of Saddam Hussein.

The city took possession of the house after its heirs relinquished it in 2011 and began a restoration in 2017.

Iraq’s acting Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, the Minister of Culture and Mayor of Baghdad all attended the museum’s inauguration.

Al-Kazemi’s office issued a statement to emphasize “the importance of the opening of the Al Jawahiri house to recognize one of the main pillars of poetry and journalism in Iraq.”

The house is 500 m2, with a backyard that contains the poet’s possessions, books, photos, studies, and awards he received throughout his career.

Shotlist:

– Soundbite (Abdel Moneim Al-Issawi – Associate Director of Media and Public Relations in Mayoralty of Baghdad, supervisor of Al Jawahiri House):

“The library contains many poetry collections of Al Jawahiri, as well as writings and publications on the poet. The next step would be coordination with diplomatic channels to attract official and foreign delegations in Iraq to visit this venue and learn about Iraqi artistry.”

– Soundbite (Ban Furat – Al Jawahiri’s granddaughter, Agricultural engineer):

“For us members of Al Jawahiri family, this house holds many fond memories with our dear grandfather and the rest of the family. We are happy that the house is now a museum, we hope it remains a source of inspiration, beautiful memories, sweet moments, joy, love and harmony.”

– Soundbite (Star Kamel Shabib – Director of Al Jawahiri House):

“Al Jawahiri House project started in 2011 after the property heirs relinquished it to the Mayoralty of Baghdad, who started its restoration in 2017. The Prime Minister opened the house a few days ago. The house contains the poet’s possessions, a library with his poetry collections, writings on him and biographies, a hall for video display hall, in addition to a hall for displaying his photographs that capture different stages of his life.”