28/02/2024

Union of Syriac Writers pays tribute to victims of Baghdede wedding hall fire with poetic program

BAGHDEDE, Iraq — In a heartfelt gesture of solidarity with the grieving community of Nineveh Plains town of Baghdede (Qaraqosh / Hamdaniyah), Iraq, mourning the loss of lives in a tragic fire at the Al-Haytham Events Hall during a wedding that killed over 130, the Union of Syriac Writers and Authors in Iraq organized a poignant program titled To Baghdede, We Sing Our Poems.

Held on Saturday afternoon at the Cultural Center in Baghdede the event, supported by the General Union of Writers and Authors in Iraq, commenced with a solemn minute of silence honoring the souls of the tragedy’s victims and all fallen heroes of the nation. Deacons led a prayer to honor their memories.

Participants illuminated the venue with candles, symbolizing hope amidst darkness, before Rond Boulos, the president of the Union of Syriac Writers and Authors, delivered a moving address. Mazen Matuka, representing the Monastery of Mar Behnam, offered words of solace on behalf of the Church.

Amidst an atmosphere heavy with emotion, families of the martyrs shared heartfelt tributes, followed by stirring recitations of poetry in Syriac and Arabic by poets from Karamlesh, Bartella, Ankawa, and Baghdede, each verse a poignant remembrance of the lives lost.

The hall adorned with white balloons bearing the names of the departed, in both Syriac and Arabic, served as a poignant backdrop as they were released into the sky, symbolizing the ascension of the victims’ souls to heaven, a fitting tribute to their enduring spirit.