IBC Hosts a Cultural Gala to Mark the First Demise Anniversary of Late Writer Mahmood Al-Bayati
Under the patronage of the Iraqi Ambassador to Jordan Dr. Jawad Hadi Abbas, and within the activities of IBC Cultural Program (Ibdaa), a special ceremony was held on Saturday November 31st, 2015 on IBC Hall to mark the first anniversary of the demise of the prominent Iraqi writer the late Mahmoud Al-Bayati.
The ceremony was attended by a large number of the late writer’s fans and readers who specially came from all over the world to attend this event; from Beirut the Iraqi thinker Dr. Abdul Hussein Shaban, from Cairo Dr. Noori Abdul Razzaq (Chairman of the Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Organization) and from London Dr. Saad Abdul Razzaq.
The event was also attended by a crowd that traveled from the Kingdom of Sweden, where the late writer had lived for many years, and a number of the late writer’s friends who traveled from Baghdad.
The celebration started with a word of welcome to the audience and introduction by Dr. Muhammad Thabit Al-Baldawi about the life of the late writer, his life in exile in different countries, about a homeland that never departed the later writer’s heart and mind, followed by impressive presentation by the late writer’s friend and companion in exile Dr. Abdul Hussein Shaban, who spoke about the late Mahmoud Al-Bayati in very elegant and moving words.
Dr. Shaban’s speech was titled: “Mahmoud Al-Bayati: The Hook of Dream and Memory Eating Us!” speaking about an arduous journey of a an intellectual in an world of estrangement and loneliness in which he possessed nothing but his intellect and pen.
Dr. Shaban reviewed in his speech the feelings of pain, hope and anger that the Iraqi intellectual feels when he finds himself forcibly banished from his homeland.
After Dr. Shaban’s speech, Al-Bayati’s nvel “The Fugitive” was launched that was published after his demise.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Baldawi gave a summary of the novel including the writer’s nostalgia to Baghdad and its alleys. After conclusion of the brief review on the late Al-Bayati’s (The Fugitive), the Iraqi Ambassador to Jordan Dr. Jawad Hadi Abbas opened the solo exhibition of Iraqi artist Jasmine Omar De-Zey under the title (Biased to Hope) where the artist inspired her themes from the late writer’s novels and life.
At the end of the event, IBC Vice chairman and Secretary-General Mr. Saad Naji thanked the Iraqi Ambassador to Jordan, members of the diplomatic corps, the crowd that participated in the Seminar and attending audience from Amman and other countries.
The ceremony was attended by IBC Chairman Dr. Majid Sadi, IBC Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Mr. Saad Naji and Board member Mr. Usama Quraishi.
On the Embassy’s side the ceremony was attended by Advisor Dr. Muhammad Al-Bayati, in addition to a large crowd of artists, writers, media people, IBC CEO and staff.
Note: Exhibition of Iraqi artist Jasmine De-Zey under the title (Biased to Hope) will continue daily till November 17th 2015 from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm on IBC Hall – First floor.
We enclose a PDF file containing the speech of Dr. Abdul Hussein Shaban at the cultural gala, and also enclose a side of the ceremony.
