First Iraq Day celebration in Dubai draws 15,000 expats

THOUSANDS AWAY FROM HOME FOR DECADES RECONNECT WITH TRADITIONS

- BY SAJILA SASEENDRAN

Nostalgia swept through Expo City Dubai on Saturday as more than 15,000 members of the Iraqi expat community gathered for the UAE’s first Iraq Day celebration, a cultural homecoming for thousands who haven't set foot in their homeland for decades.

The event, organised by the social platform Emirates Loves Iraq at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, transformed into an emotional reunion as Iraqi expats reconnected with their heritage through traditional cuisine, folk music, artwork, and architectural displays modelled after iconic Iraqi structures.

Shaikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, attended the celebration alongside Dr Mudhafar Mustafa Al Jubouri, Ambassador of Iraq to the UAE.

In his address, Shaikh Nahayan said: “The UAE's leadership is committed to supporting Iraq’s progress towards achieving its national aspirations. Our leadership is dedicated to developing bilateral relations to serve as a model of successful Arab partnership and cooperation.”

Prominent Iraqis honoured