Babylon Festival.. Culture and Arts Forum on the Land of Civilization 

Today, all eyes are on the city of civilization and heritage, where the Lion of Babylon and the Hanging Gardens, which will witness the launch of the activities of the International Babylon Festival. Today it opens its arms to embrace an artistic and cultural carnival embodied in the Babylonian theater. 

In this regard, the director of the Babel International Festival, Muhammad Al-Rubaie, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "this year's version of the Babel International Festival differs from the festivals that were held earlier 18 years ago," noting that "this year's version of the festival is distinguished because it is sponsored by the Prime Minister. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, and it contains a wide range of activities, not just artistic events, especially since the festival will witness the participation of 58 countries and artistic troupes in one event and one site, as international cultural events have not witnessed anything like it with the presence of this huge number of Arab and European countries. 

He added, "This version is considered an Iraqi carnival of joy, intellectually, economically, politically, socially, artistically and literaryly. It includes international book fairs, plastic exhibitions for painting, animation cinema, economic forum, Arab media and many other events.". 

Al-Rubaie continued, "The festival management has formed multiple and specialized committees to organize various artistic events, including the reception of guests participating in the opening ceremony, which flocked from 25 countries," noting that "the management of the festival is only responsible for managing and there are many works, including paving streets, lighting roads, removing rubble, dredging rivers, and all What would prepare for the international festival, was implemented by the local administration and the relevant state departments participated in it. 

The festival director indicated that "a tight security plan was developed for the success of the festival's activities and the security services accompany the delegations from the moment they disembark from the plane, through their accommodation, until the end of participation and return to their homelands," explaining that "the festival needs media coverage, as the festival administration receives press cadres, all satellite channels and bodies." Media and special badges are obtained for media professionals, allowing them to roam freely between the 24 festival paragraphs. 

For his part, the Governor of Babylon, Hassan Mandeel, confirmed to the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "the governorate has secured all the activities necessary for the success of the Babel International Festival.". 

He added, "The festival will include literary, archaeological and plastic events, and there are security measures implemented by the security forces to ensure the festival's success."

On the same level, the head of the Babil Artists Syndicate branch, Mohsen Al-Jilawi, confirmed that the syndicate will have an effective presence in the fifteenth Babel International Festival. 

Al-Jilawi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the syndicate has a great and effective role in the festival because it is a humanitarian cultural festival for Babylon, the spring of the first civilization. Among the festival's activities, there is the Babylonian night that will be held on the throne theater and will be implemented by the Artists Syndicate in Babylon, as well as the plastic exhibition with the opening activities." And the conclusion, where the artists of Babylon will have a full presence in addition to the activities of entering Babylon, including the event of the cavalry, the horse-drawn cart, the queen and Hammurabi, and this street is considered a sign of the opening of the festival, in addition to the artistic management of the theater in terms of lighting and sound. 

He added, "Other unions and concerned departments are involved in this festival, including logistical support, such as municipalities, electricity, and so on from the concerned departments, and there are other unions, such as the Workers' Union, which will present a special account of popular heritage works, and the Writers' Union will present poetic events, there is a book fair, and there are industries rooms, which is an industrial exhibition." And all these activities will be in the ancient city of Babylon.”. 

In turn, the Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Babylon Festival, Dr. Amer Al-Marzouk said that "there are activities outside the theater and inside the theater, including an exhibition of industries with the participation of the Ministry of Industry and the Diwan of Babylon Governorate, an exhibition of books and photographs, and an exhibition of plastic arts, and there are activities for children that will be on the public street leading to the theater," noting that "there are a number of initiatives that will open today as well, including: Then the events will start in the evening, with the participation of Iraqi artists from the city of Babylon, with a tribute to media professionals and artists from the Arab world and Iraq, in addition to participations by folklore groups. 

He added, "The festival includes three concerts, and there is a diverse program that combines culture, arts and society, so that the festival is distinct and different from what it was in previous years," noting that "the difference came in the addition of new events, as it was previously limited to artistic events only.". 

Al-Marzouk added that "this year's festival is open to activities in order to highlight the role of the artist and most of the artists in Babylon participate in this great artistic carnival with the participation of young people in the ceremonial committees, and this has a benefit that will be reflected in the future on society and youth in particular," stressing that "there are Posts by the Ministry of Culture and a number of artists in the Ministry of Industry, and that most of these posts are sponsored by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. 

Today, at six in the evening, the activities of the Babylon International Festival, in its fifteenth session, will be launched on the Babylonian theater after a long hiatus that lasted twenty years, with a cultural artistic demonstration and various performances including music, singing, dancing, folk arts, formation, cinema and other activities.