المجالس الثقافية واهميتها في التراث العراقي Cultural Councils and their Importance in Iraqi Heritageندوة

Sponsored by of the reactor of the University of Baghdad, the respected Professor Dr. Munir Hamid Al-Saadi, and in cooperation with the Ishan Foundation for Culture and Publishing, the Center for the Revival of Arab Scientific Heritage at the University of Baghdad organized a scientific symposium on Wednesday morning, 10/4/2023, in the Ishan Foundation Hall, and in the presence of a number of professors and researchers. That it entitled (Cultural Councils and their Importance in Iraqi Heritage), the symposium opened with a fragrant recitation of the Holy Quran, then the reading of the national anthem and the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah for the souls of the righteous martyrs.

The first research presents by Professor Dr. Alaa Nafia Jassim, head of the Center for Heritage Revival, and the title of her research (Cultural Councils and their Importance in Iraqi Heritage) is knowing the word Al-Jalawi linguistically from sitting,  as the Arabs had councils in which they would meet to discuss poetry and exchange news, and they were called councils. In clubs, she added that the councils during the Rashidun era were characterized by simplicity, humility, and lack of diversity, and were held in mosques. Then she mentioned that Baghdad was under occupation for nearly ten centuries, as ignorance backwardness became widespread in it, and it suffered greatly as it began to rise due to the intellectual renaissance led by scholars.

Then Professor Dr. Bushra Mahmoud Al-Zubaie / Al-Mustansiriya University / Head of the Department of Historical Studies, presents research entitled (Pioneers of Cultural Councils), who speaks that literary councils were held on both sides of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and in the houses of ancient Baghdad, as well as they had specific timetables , cultural and intellectual discussion sessions. Social, literary, political and religious, as the history of these councils extends to the golden Abbasid era. Al-Zubaie added that there are types of café councils and al-Sadr councils in the city of Kadhimiya.

Then Assistant Professor Dr. Wasan Hussein Muhaymid / Head of the Manuscripts Department at the Heritage Revival Center researched the title of her research (Christian Councils and their Cultural Impact on Iraqi Heritage), speaking that one of the Christian cultural councils is the Council of the scholar Father Instance Marley Al-Karmi, who was known as the Friday Council, where he was He inspects the Monastery of the Fathers in the locality of Souq al-Ghazl, and accordingly the poles of knowledge in literature, the nation’s leaders, and the country’s notables, regardless of their religious affiliation, came and added that the Christian scholarly councils for which the Buyoutes are famous are the Al-Ghanimah Family Council, the Jacob Sarkis Council, and other councils.

Dr. Leqaa Shaker Al-Sharifi, one of the Center’s teacher presents a research entitled (Jewish Councils and their Role in Rooting the Baghdadi Heritage), who speaks about the most famous councils belonging to the Baghdadi Jews at the end of the Ottoman era until the middle of the twentieth century, where these councils had cultural, scientific and importance economic. In addition to the publication of many newspapers and articles discussing the most important issues of Iraqi society, Al-Sharifi added that the councils had the credit for finding solutions that included participation from all sectors of the Iraqi people.

The conclusion of the symposium was the research of Dr. Baidaa Abdel Hassan Raddam, a lecturer at the Heritage Revival Center,  which entitled (The Contemporary Iraqi Cultural Heritage, The Iraqi Al-Qalam Club), who speaks about the period from the contemporary intellectual cultural heritage, the Iraqi Al-Qalam Club, which is one of the scientific, cultural, and social clubs that was established after the end of the symposium. The Ottoman era and the beginning of the state era after laying the first foundations of the new regime. The idea of establishing the club dates back to 1933 AD, when the great poet Jamil Sidqi Al-Zahawi was elected as its president. She also added that the club worked to enhance the influence of Arabic literature and create close links between Iraqi intellectuals, Arabs and other countries. In conclusion, the head of the Center, thanked the Ishan Folk Culture Foundation for its warm and generous hospitality, wishing them continued scientific excellence