The Al-Abbas's (p) Shrine inaugurates the general cultural procession as part of the group of Al-Abbas (peace be upon him) processions

The Al-Abbas's (p) Holy Shrine inaugurated the general cultural procession on the visitors' route between the axis of (Holy Karbala - Holy Najaf), as part of the series of Al-Abbas (peace be upon her) processions.

The opening ceremony of the procession was held in the presence of several officials from the holy shrine, religious and academic figures, and a gathering of visitors.

The opening activities began with a recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by a speech from the holy shrine delivered by the assistant head of the Public Relations Department, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Salami, in which he highlighted the main stations included in the procession and the holy shrine's purpose for holding it.

The supervisor of the procession, Dr. Mushtaq Al-Ali, said: "The al-Abbas's (p) Holy Shrine has inaugurated the cultural procession on the route of the pilgrims in the Karbala-Najaf axis and will also open on the Baghdad and Babylon axes, pointing out that 'this project embodies the vision of the Holy Shrine in consolidating the principles of Imam al-Hussayn's (peace be upon him) revolution and utilising the Arbaeen pilgrimage to spread religious and cultural awareness among the visitors.'"

He added that "the procession this year is distinguished by its inclusiveness and the diversity of its activities, as it is organised by a group of departments of the holy shrine, which have united their efforts to present a comprehensive cultural program. Among the most prominent of these departments are: the Intellectual and Cultural Affairs Department, the Scientific Complex of the Holy Quran, the Islamic and Human Sciences Affairs Department, the Religious Affairs Department, the Public Relations Department, and the Development and Sustainable Development Department, in addition to the Kafeel Museum of Treasures and Manuscripts, and the House of the Science of Nahj al-Balagha."

Al-Ali pointed out that "these departments offer a range of intellectual, doctrinal, and awareness activities, directed at various visitor groups, with a focus on the youth category, through programs aimed at deepening the awareness of Imam al-Hussayn's (peace be upon him) culture and expanding the scope of doctrinal understanding."

For his part, the director of the Al-Qamar Cultural Forum Centre affiliated with the Intellectual Affairs Department, Sheikh Harith Al-Dahi, said: "The center's station offers various activities that contribute to enhancing the cultural identity of the faithful youth through programs, including the Mahdawi Cultural Program, which is implemented in both electronic and in-person versions in various Iraqi provinces."

He added that "one of the center's most prominent projects is also the Active Student Program, which aims to prepare a generation of students with an intellectual and cultural vision that contributes to building an aware society, in addition to training sessions for preparing lecturers, a youth cultural magazine, educational competitions, and incentive awards."

In the same context, the assistant head of the Al-Kafeel Museum of Treasures and Manuscripts, Dr. Shawqi Al-Moussawi, explained that "the museum participates in the procession's activities by showcasing a collection of rare museum pieces and traditional arts that reflect the depth of Islamic civilisation, including the art of arabesque, which is one of the most famous Islamic decorative arts, in addition to the art of traditional carpet weaving."

He added that "the participation also includes displaying replicas of the original pieces in the museum, and photographs documenting the treasures of the Kafeel Museum, which houses more than 25,000 pieces; with the aim of enhancing the museum culture among visitors," affirming that "this station provides visitors with a unique opportunity to explore the details of the museum world and to learn about the rich cultural and artistic heritage represented by the museum's collections."