Threads of tradition: Iraqi women stitch old salons into new roles

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Al-Qubul (Acceptance), once a neighborhood gathering where women exchanged stories and advice, has been reimagined at Dar Sousa for Culture as a modern salon blending heritage with scholarship.

The initiative is led by Director Sarah al-Sarraff, who recalls her grandmother hosting such meetings decades ago. “It was where women shared life,” she told Shafaq News. “I wanted to bring it back, but sharper and more useful for today.”

Instead of casual conversation, the revived al-Qubul now follows a set program. Economists, historians and researchers are invited to lead debates on markets, social issues and women’s rights, offering participants — especially younger women — practical knowledge and new confidence.

Many attendees choose embroidered abayas and vintage dresses from the 1940s and 1950s during those gatherings, their designs recalling a Baghdad where fashion was part of social identity.

One recent lecture transported participants back to Babylon. Speaking to our agency, researcher Ahmed Hashim al-Attar highlighted sections of the Code of Hammurabi that safeguarded women’s rights and imposed penalties on abuse, drawing parallels to today’s debates. The audience responded with questions and comparisons, weaving ancient law into present struggles.

What emerges is more than nostalgia – the new al-Qubul is at once a salon, a classroom and a civic laboratory, a place where heritage is preserved, ideas are tested, and women prepare themselves to shape Iraq’s future.