Iraqi publishers pump out new books but street vendors also sell everything from guide books for the baghdad museum that was looted in 2003, communist propaganda from east germany from the 80s and. In iraq, in the book market, books remain in the street at night because iraqis say that the reader does not steal and the thief does not read. Young iraqis hope the written word can reinvigorate a new. The book market on baghdads mutanabi street, one of iraq s oldest and most treasured cultural hubs, was razed by iraqi police on sept. Iraq ahmed thamer jihad finds that amid the poverty of the city of nasiriyah in southern iraq, a growing book market is quickly becoming a popular cultural center. Much of the media have concluded that the stock market must fear war with iraq more than it welcomes the prospect of a decisive denouement for the regime of. Censorship was lifted when a usled invasion toppled saddam in 2003 but far from an upturn in sales these days hissam. If youre interested in rare book collecting or arabic literature, the baghdad book market provides context for iraqi literary and cultural traditions. Book market in iraq in iraq, in the book market, books remain in the street at night because iraqis say. A statue of almutanabbi stands near the docks on the tigris, at the foot of the steps that lead to the book market. Iraq has a growing economy despite political unrest over the past two decades. The start of foreign investment into iraq s oil and natural gas sector has raised the prospects that baghdads oil production will increase significantly in the coming years.
Young people are more interested in smartphones and the internet, said adnan mansour, a 75yearold retired human resources manager who has come to the market since 1959. Iraqi and allied forces recaptured mosul, the countrys secondlargest city, in 2017 and drove isis out of its other urban strongholds. The 2006 economic and product market databook for kirkuk, iraq philip m. The purpose of this study is to understand the density of demand within iraq. The 2006 economic and product market databook for irbil. In iraqs book market, books remain in the street at night because iraqis say that the reader does not steal and the thief does not read. It was named after the 10thcentury classical iraqi poet almutanabbi.
Baghdad book market turns the page on a new iraq reuters. Mutanabbi street, baghdad, 2009 mutanabbi street arabic. Among other things, it prohibited foreign ownership of iraqi businesses, ran most large industries as stateowned enterprises, and. Nadia murad grew up dreaming of owning a beauty salon. The iraqi government now faces criticism that its trying. Iraqis stock traders mark up the sales board at the iraq stock exchange in baghdad, on sunday, oct. Check the latest samsung galaxy book flex a alpha price in iraq 2019 and detail specs, get the market rate of galaxy book flex a alpha online before buying galaxy book flex a alpha in iq in iraq. Baghdad book market turns the page on a new iraq khmer times. Mutanabbi street gets very crowded, and many iraqis and visitors to the city have been pleased to see that the outdoor book market has returned to this pedestrian area. Baghdad book market turns the page on a new iraq jordan. Economic reform in iraq describes decisions by the coalition provisional authority to dramatically change the economy of iraq in the aftermath of the 2003 u. It is the historic center of baghdad bookselling, a street filled with bookstores and outdoor book stalls.
Every week there are special events for example, recently there was a pop quiz organized by a local culture group that rewarded winners with a book. Many writers and their books were banned from iraq under saddam hussein. Through years of war, censorship and dictatorship it has served as a cultural hub for the city. When maher abu hissam started his baghdad bookshop two decades ago he was selling up to 40 books a day, such as. In iraq, in the book market, books remain in the street at night because iraqis say. Baghdad book market turns the page on a new iraq free. However, baghdads almuthanna library a traditional iraqi publishing and bookselling powerhouse has just released its first catalog of fiction and nonfiction titles for the international market since the war. On 5 march 2007, many of baghdads books once again found themselves the victims of war when a car bomb exploded on almutanabbi street, the citys historic literary district. The best sellers of baghdads oldest book market the. The 2006 economic and product market databook for irbil, iraq philip m. The youngest of 11 children in a yazidi family in northwest iraq, she took photographs of all the brides in her tiny village, studying their m. Book sales in iraq have been declining, much to the dismay of many a book seller.
Iraq book market comes back to life seven years after bombing mutanabbi street is full of civilizations highs and lows, the market still. The book market on baghdads mutanabi street, one of iraqs oldest and most treasured cultural hubs, was razed by iraqi police on sept. Baghdad book market turns the page on a new iraq times of india. On two visits the book market was mainly frequented by older readers. Samsung galaxy book flex a alpha price in iraq, baghdad. Suicide bombing kills 20 in baghdad book market the new. The best sellers of baghdads oldest book market the independent. In iraq, in the book market, books remain in the street at night. In performing various economic analyses for its clients, i have occasionally been asked to investigate the market potential for various products and services in iraq.
I was jailed for selling the generals are the last to know, says one stall owner who goes by the name haider magazine. One of the strongest areas for iraqi economic investment and export to the west specifically the united states is oil. Books in this market remain in the open on the streets as the booksellers there firmly believe that the reader does not steal and the thief does not read. With its almost inexhaustible supply of books, al mutanabbi street served as a contemporary witness to the political and cultural changes taking place in mesopotamia. It was the site of the first book traders market in the metropolis that was baghdad. Baghdad book market turns the page on a new iraq when maher abu hissam started his baghdad bookshop two decades ago he was selling up to 40 books a day, such was the hunger for literature in the days of saddam hussein, even though the regime banned anything it did not like. Baghdad reuters when maher abu hissam started his baghdad bookshop two decades ago he was selling up to 40 books a day, such was the hunger for literature in the days of saddam hussein, even though the regime banned anything it did not like. When maher abu hissam started his baghdad bookshop two decades ago he was selling up to 40 books a day, such was the hunger for. The history of the street goes back to the time of the abbasids. But basic literacy has plummeted, and strict security measures at nearly every establishment mean few people. Baghdads booksellers wont let coronavirus close them. In iraq, in the book market, books remain in the street at. It is this principal that makes iraq the most strategic land of business opportunity presently in the middle east.
Between 2014 and 2017, iraq was engaged in a military campaign against the islamic state of iraq and ashsham isis to recapture territory lost in the western and northern portion of the country. Baghdad, iraq when maher abu hissam started his baghdad bookshop two decades ago he was selling up to 40 books a day, such was the hunger for literature in the days of saddam hussein, even though the regime banned anything it did not like. Then for years under the rule of saddam hussein, the sellers were restricted in what they could offer. Historic baghdad book market bulldozed in latenight raid.
This street is well established for bookselling and has often been referred to as. Iraqi books hit the international market for first time. The 2006 economic and product market databook for kirkuk. Iraq, a country which is famous for its reading habits among other things, has a strange book market. The southern iraqi book market creating a new culture. Iraq s publishing and bookselling industry has been damaged by decades of war, sanctions and violence. Introduction hassig and al adely argue in their book known as iraq. Protecting this community is seen as a test of iraq s ability to shore up tenuous security gains made since the 2007 bombing. Where there is a problem, or a lack, there is a business. Research page background information in october 2010, iraqi oil minister hussein alshahristani announced that iraq s proven oil reserves had been increased by 25 percent from 115 billion to 143.
The moment the statue of saddam hussein fell to the ground in firdus square was. A book market in iraqs capital is an intellectual oasis again seven years after a car bombing there killed 26 people. In iraqs book market, books remain in the street at night because. It seems only fitting that most visitors to the book market pass alongside the statute of the poet, which serves as a reminder of iraqs long literary history. Iraq healthcare surgical procedures market industry analysis, size, share, growth, trends and forecast 20142022. The iraqi government now faces criticism that its trying to clamp down on cultural activity in the country. Iraqs black market oil fuels sectarian division al. Land of opportunities iraq s the five year 2010 2014 national development plan aims to boost the countrys economic performance through enhancing political stability and security, building and improving. Iraq healthcare marketindustry analysis and forecast2022. Now nasiriyahs new event even has a facebook page of its own, called book street, and a weekly magazine devoted to the book market and surrounding events. When a car bomb obliterates iraqs millenniumold literary heart, a bookseller seven thousand miles away resolves that the voices of almutanabbi street will not. Resurrecting the book market of baghdad narratively. Baghdad book market turns the page on a new iraq egypt today. Because online book buying is almost unheard of in iraq, people browse for hours in bookshops or arrive with handwritten notes of titles they want.
Since 2003, iraq has experienced a dramatic change from a centralized economy to a market economy. An economic crisis has hit sales, but saraa albayati, the book market s only female trader, is not thinking of closing. State banks dominate credit markets, and the largely. While the rest of the world is facing a near financial meltdown, the iraq stock. Mutanabbi street, in the heart of downtown baghdad, has been home to booksellers for centuries. Iraq is the land where writing was invented, and baghdad is famous for its book market. Baghdad, march 5 the book market along mutanabi street was a throwback to the baghdad of old, the days of students browsing for texts, turbaned clerics hunting down religious tomes and cafe. A car bomb devastated it in 2007, but it has again become a location for buying used and rare books in iraq. Yes, we are talking about the howaish market in the holy city of najaf. Young book buyers were often students preparing for seminars. Once seen as a means of lifting the country out of years of devastating war and economic turmoil, iraq s oil wealth has seemed more and more to be the countrys undoing, said michael klare, author of several books on the global oil market and a.
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