Public dispute erupts in Basra over planned education festival with music

Shafaq News- Basra

A public dispute has emerged in Iraq’s southern province of Basra over a planned education-themed festival that includes musical performances, drawing calls for cancellation from religious groups and strong pushback from artists, academics, and journalists who view the move as a threat to freedom of expression.

Scheduled for Saturday at Jathaa Al-Nakhla International Stadium, the festival is expected to bring together around 1,000 students from schools across several provinces, with attendance projected at up to 30,000 people. Organizers have stated that proceeds from the event will be allocated to supporting cancer patients.

Opposition intensified after religious groups staged a protest, arguing that singing and dancing violate Basra’s social values and public morality. The objections have broadened into a citywide debate over cultural life, public space, and artistic freedoms.

Sheikh Raad Al-Bahli, who led the protest, described halting the festival as essential to protecting public morals and preserving Basra’s identity. He asserted that music and dance concerts are unacceptable in the city and argued that Islam mandates the defense of values and the confrontation of what he characterized as immoral practices “with the strength available.” He laso framed the protest as a "religious and moral obligation to prevent activities that conflict with local traditions."

Basra Artists’ Syndicate head Fathi Shaddad forcefully rejected the calls to ban the event, characterizing the clerics’ statements as intellectual exclusion and a clear infringement on public freedoms. He pointed to the earlier cancellation of a concert by Iraqi singer Mohammed Abdul Jabbar as evidence that Basra is repeatedly targeted by restrictions, while cultural events proceed normally in other Iraqi cities.

Shaddad emphasized that art and culture are deeply rooted in Basra’s history and identity, stressing that no group has the authority to impose moral guardianship over society.

Basra Journalists’ Syndicate head Sadiq Al-Ali also condemned threats to halt the festival. He described them as an assault on the city’s cultural identity, cautioning that coercive rhetoric poses a greater danger than the event itself, as it normalizes intimidation and erodes respect for the rule of law. Al-Ali underscored that values cannot be enforced through force and reaffirmed Basra’s long-standing role as a center of cultural and social diversity.

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