Closing the Rabee Al Shahada World Cultural Festival VIII in Karbala Holy Shrines, with more than 45 countries

Secretariats of the Two Holy Shrines in the Holy city of Karbala closed on Thursday 7 Shaban 1433 – Jun. 28, 2012 on the Seal of the Prophets Hall in imam Hussein Holy Shrine the activities of the festival with the presence of religious figures and prominent academic as well as Arab and foreign delegations participating in the festival. The spokesman welcomed and thanked appreciated all the participating delegations and especially those that came from outside Iraq to be at the spiritual place near Imam Hussein and his brother Abu Fadl Abbas, peace be upon them, which accounted for more than 45 countries.

And the closing ceremony began with a recitation of verses from the Quran by Mustafa Ghalibi to be followed by the statement of the Secretariats of the two Holy Shrines delivered by Sayed Ahmad Safi, Secretary-General of Al Abbas Holy Shrine, explaining: "Here we stand at the end that we do not want to stand out, but we have to. Writers used to write Introduction and purposes, but this festival, due to your ideas and your involvement was all the purposes and content, our congratulations to you, but that’s it, the wheel of time begins and ends and another begins and continues as so-called closing ceremony.

"We thank everyone who contributed to continuing in this festival, and that you, God willing, got the hope and aspirations to stay with true knowledge and constant communication and false rejection of extremism."

He also showed thankfulness to preparatory committee for the preparations of the festival who have made an effort partly visible and another invisible. He also thanked all employees of the Tow Holy Shrines, local administration in the province of Karbala and the security services and health centers and the people of the city. He also thanked the media audio-visual and press, deliver the information to the viewer and the listener and the reader.

Sayed Safi pointed out an important point proposed by one of the participating delegations to hold a week of World Culture to be alongside the Festival in some countries especially from the countries participating in this festival and that the two holy shrines to adopt o set up a preparatory committee formed form the Preparatory Committee of the Rabee Al Shahada Festival and the Preparatory Committee of the Cultural.

He also noted Preparatory Committee for the Festival to pay attention to the role of Imam Al Sajjad peace be upon him and doing research and studies about him presented at this festival and we hope that researchers to provide us in future with researches about Imam AL Sajjad peace be upon him because the days of his birth happened during the days of the festival.
Followed by a speech of the Holy Shrine of Fatima, daughter of Imam Musa al-Kadhim, peace be upon them delivered by representative of the delegation, Sheikh Jassem Mohammad
Then a poem recited about Abu Fadl Al Abbas, peace be upon him by Najah AlIrsan.

It is then a speech by Sheikh Mohammed Sankoh, Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Muslims in France and the Grand Mufti of the French Muslim Council.

Added "I've found the reality of Islam from the holy shrine of al imam al Hussein. I am going to work hard to clear the idea about Iraq and Karbala holy city. Imam Hussein lit the right path to be followed. Al imam al Hussein did all these great things in Karbala battle. Seeking the right path, one has to follow the path of Muhammad and his households".

Sheik Edrees Abu Mustafa, the chairman of Ahl al Bayt foundation in Africa thanked the secretary of the holy shrines to establish such great meeting, calling to do the best in next meetings.

Abu Mustafa asked to take in consideration;
1- Allah blesses al imam la Hussein as well as angels, since al imam calls to right path.
2- Getting the samples from al imam al Hussein uprising to face any wrong.
3- Al imam al Hussein uprising will stay forever.

Also he added, to live in real life, everyone has to know the aims of al imam al Hussein uprising. Also he thanked the general secretary of al Abbas holy shrine, Sayed Ahmad al Safi for establishing a radio in Africa showing the right way of al imam al Hussein; moreover the agreement that students from Africa can study in An Najaf and Karbala Hauza (religious Shiite school).

After that the general secretary of al imam al Hussein and al Abbas provided the flag of al imam al Hussein and Abbas holy shrines to Mr. Hassan Asad from Pakistan for his great effort putting flag with Ya Hussein word on the top of Everest mountain on 12 of May 2011.
Sheik Fadel Mukhader, secretary of scholars establishment in Lebanon read a poem about al imam al Hussein.

Sayed Baheer al Hassan general supervisor of Welayat Ameer al Mumneen channel, and the responsible to al imam Ali mosque in California thanked the holy shrines for their great work. He promised to aid the holy shrines in collaboration with media sections to show the advanced levels that the holy shrines reached. Sayed al Hassan is preacher in English and Urdu languages.

Hajj Ali al Safar, member of preparatory committee thanked the great work of the committee, the government of Karbala, Baghdad and An Najaf airports.

The holy shrines provided the channels with certificate of appreciate; Karbala, Forat, Anwar, Masar, Fwrqan, Al Welaya from USA, an Naeem, Ghadeer, Al Adwa'a Company for media, Iraqia, Anwar 2, Hura Iraq, Sharqia, Dyar, Eteejah, Fayha'a, Ahad, Ahad Radio, Manar, Masar 1, An Najaf, Kawthar, Belady, Afaq, Hurya, Salam, Sumaria, Imam Hussein channel, Hauleer, Alam, Ahl al Bayt, Anbar, Arasheed, Salah al Deen, Wehda and Baghdad.