Deputy Representative of the Secretary-General of the UN praises during a meeting Abbawi positive atmosphere in relations between Iraq and Kuwait

27-01-2013 | (Voice of Iraq) - Add a comment -
Baghdad (news)

Search Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Policy Planning and bilateral relations, however, Abawi in the ministry's headquarters, on Sunday, with the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq, George Posten, the work of the mission and activities and a good relationship with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Foreign Ministry statement said received Agency (news) copy of it: that Posten made a presentation on his recent visit to the State of Kuwait and praised the positive atmosphere in bilateral relations and confidence-building between Iraq and Kuwait, which will end the outstanding issues between them.

He: UNAMI's willingness to participate in events related to (Baghdad, the capital of Arab culture), which will be held in Baghdad this year.

The statement noted: it has been discussed a number of things that relate to the work of the mission and activities and a good relationship with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, valuing the continued support and cooperation.

This meeting was attended by Ambassador Ahmed Bamarni Chairman of the Department of Organizations and International Cooperation and Knight thanked the Chairman of the Department of Protocol and agency and point link with UNAMI in the ministry.

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Iraqis prepare to honour Baghdad as 2013 Capital of Arab Culture



2013-01-03
By Khalid al-Taie in Baghdad





An Iraqi woman browses books at Baghdad's First International Book
Fair, which also highlighted Baghdad's cultural wealth. [Sabah Arar/AFP]












The Iraqi Ministry of Culture plans to organise a series of
activities and festivals this year marking Baghdad as the 2013 Capital
of Arab Culture, officials told Mawtani.



Ministry undersecretary Fawzi al-Atroushi said the planned
celebrations include a number of cultural activities throughout the
year, including folklore festivals and exhibits for Iraqi art and rare
manuscripts.

Other institutions like governmental and civil society groups and
unions will also participate alongside the ministry in sponsoring weekly
and monthly events, which include symposiums, conferences, and
literary, intellectual and art functions that represent Iraq's various
cultures, he added.

Scheduled ministry programmes also involve showing documentaries and
long and short feature films, as well as theatrical performances on
Iraqi life complete with traditions, customs and rituals, al-Atroushi
said.

As part of the celebrations, the ministry will also organise a series
of field trips for visiting delegations to various historical sites and
landmarks around Baghdad, such as monuments, statues, squares, old
markets and streets, and archaeological and heritage landmarks and
sites, he said.

In addition, dignitaries and other guests will receive a number of
books and works on Baghdad's history, heritage, landmarks, famous
figures and historical contributions to culture, literature and science,
al-Atroushi said.

"Plans to build and rehabilitate Baghdad's landmarks are going
forward," he told Mawtani. "In collaboration with several supportive
agencies, such as Baghdad province, Amanat Baghdad and the Ministry of
Tourism and Antiquities, we finished rebuilding several heritage
buildings and cultural sites, in addition to building new monuments,
statues and tourist compounds."

"Also, there are other projects on their way to completion, such as a
project to rehabilitate and maintain the ancient Ziggurat of Aqar Quf,
located west of the capital, and others currently under construction,
such as the old al-Qushla Clock monument, the Abbasid palace, the Opera
House and others," he said.

Crowning Baghdad


With these preparations, the province aims to crown Baghdad as the
2013 Capital of Arab Culture, said Kamel al-Saadi, Baghdad's deputy
governor.

Officials will distribute a tourist guide of the capital, as well as
copies of 20 different brochures on Baghdad's various civilisations, to
event participants, he said, adding that the Baghdad province is
"organising plays, cultural meetings and popular carnivals".

Prizes will be awarded to Iraqi intellectuals and pioneers, including youth innovators, he added.

The province will work with diverse groups "to secure a festive
atmosphere commensurate with the distinct history of Baghdad", al-Saadi
said.

The province also completed a project rehabilitating the Baghdad
International Fairground, "considered one of the prominent landmarks of
the capital", at a cost of 70 billion dinars ($60 million), he said.

It also built the Baghdad Cultural Centre and restored many heritage
and cultural buildings and sites, in addition to organising "permanent
exhibits, the last of which displays the personal belongings of the
Iraqi royal family during 1921-1958", he added.

Reflecting the capital's grandeur


Ali al-Shallah, chairman of the parliamentary committee on culture
and media, said his committee is in constant contact with all concerned
parties to ensure the festivities are a success.

"We asked them to ensure that the celebrations will be of an
acceptable level that befits the civilisation and grandeur of the city
of Baghdad, reflecting its historical depth, existence and role
throughout the ages," he said.

"We must showcase the cultural aspect of our capital, and organise
these activities within [the city's] heritage and archaeological sites,
because Baghdad was -- and still is -- a cultural and intellectual
cradle, and it is essential to project its status as a city of
exceptional human accomplishments in all life fields," he said.

Al-Shallah told Mawtani he is confident the activities will be a success.

In 2012, the city hosted numerous successful Arab and international conferences, he said.

"We are fully confident that the organisation of this new forum will
be successful, and it will have large-scale participation," he said.


http://mawtani.al-shorfa.com/en_GB/articles/iii/features/2013/01/03/feature-02