Hope was in the air in Baghdad city over the weekend as hundreds of colorful lanterns were released into the sky signaling Iraqis’ wishes for peace and stability in the country.
Flying sky lanterns that decorated the evening sky on Saturday (March 21), more than three thousand young men and women flocked to a festival organized by the young group ‘Anummaki’.
The festival aimed to signal a sign of support for more than 20,000 troops and allied Shi’ite paramilitary groups who are taking part in an offensive to recapture the city of Tikrit from the Islamic State.
The festival, which coincided with the celebrations of Nowruz new year, was held at the Equestrian Club in Baghdad’s upscale district of Mansour.
Battered by frequent bombings and news of fighting with Islamic State fighters north of the capital Baghdad, Iraqis took time off to enjoy the occasion and wish for peace.
Organizer of the festival, Issam Wail, said the event gives Iraqi people a reason to celebrate.
“Anunnaki team is trying to create a spirit of happiness for the Iraqi people, you know that our people have been suppressed for a long time and they do not have many platforms for entertainment, so we, the youths, took the initiative and organized this festival. The idea is very simple, to give Baghdad’s sky a beautiful look,” he said.
People attending the festival said they were delighted to enjoy such an event at times of war and violence.
“The festival is very nice and fun and we’re enjoying it very much. Despite the bad security situation in Baghdad, we can still have fun,” said one Iraq young woman Sara.
“Most of our youths are now fighting; however, we are celebrating in support of them and in support of the families who have people fighting. People have made a lot of efforts to organize this festival because we are really in need of such an event,” said Iraqi woman Zainab Sa’ad.
Others, like Faten Ammar, used the occasion to spread a message of hope for Iraq’s future.
“Whenever there’s war there’s a glimpse of hope so let’s hold on to it and, God willing, things will be better with our faith and love for life. Every society experiences tough times, but at the end, it stands on its feet again and gets better with the efforts of young people. Iraq will definitely restore its past times and become the Iraq we heard about from our fathers and grandfathers, the one we read about in books and novels. I’m sure one day all these tough times will be just bad memories,” she said.
In addition to the lanterns, a music band entertained audience with patriotic and national songs.
For Su’ad Jamal al-Deen, this was the highlight of the festival.
“I had fun with the young people but what really caught my attention is the focus on the nation and Iraq, the patriotic and national songs. They were very nice,” she said.
Tickets were sold at 7000 Iraqi dinars (5 US dollars).
(Reuters)
