Newsletter December 2025

On Friday, November 28, at 6 PM, the traditional Baghdad Women's Meeting will take place at the Soussa Cultural House in Baghdad, organized in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut. The focus will be on an awareness-raising event entitled “Healing from Emotional Suppression to Self-Reconciliation and Telling the Past with Peace.”

The event will be led by two renowned experts: Dr. Moj, psychologist and lecturer at the University of Baghdad, and Dr. Reem Al-Abdali, who holds a doctorate in economics and degrees in mental health and women's leadership. Together, they will explore ways to achieve emotional healing and come to terms with one's past in a peaceful manner.

On December 2 and 3, the public library in Sulaymaniah will open its doors for a German-Kurdish festival dedicated to children aged 6 to 14. The program includes book readings and film screenings in both languages, creative workshops, and an art exhibition. The event aims to introduce young visitors to the joys of language and art while building cultural bridges between German and Kurdish.

On December 5, a literature walk will take place in Lalish, organized in cooperation with the al-Mada Reading Club. The event will introduce poets and authors from the city whose works shape the cultural identity of the region. Their texts and biographies will be presented at historical sites to highlight the literary diversity of Lalish. The walk offers members of the Reading Club the opportunity to rediscover the city from the perspective of its writers.

On December 6 and 13, the Goethe-Institut Irak and the al-Mada Reading Club invite you to the regular meetings of the reading club in Erbil.

The events are a cooperation between the Goethe-Institut Irak and the al-Mada Reading Club and start at 7 PM at Nazdar Hayran Café in Erbil. The events will be held in Arabic.

Details of the readings will be published on our social media channels.

From December 9 to 16, Duhok will once again become the center of international cinema. Supported by the Duhok Governorate and the Ministry of Culture and Youth of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Duhok International Film Festival will present a diverse program of world cinema and Kurdish productions in its 12th edition. With competition and special sections, the festival creates a platform for cultural exchange and dialogue. It is a meeting place for creative minds, a place for new perspectives, and a source of inspiration for film culture in the region.

Alongside the festival, the sixth edition of NUHAT, a nationwide program to strengthen the film industry, is kicking off. In cooperation with the Duhok International Film Festival and the Institut Français Erbil, NUHAT is bringing together 18 young filmmakers from all over Iraq. An intensive week of training with local and international experts will teach them about directing, cinematography, and scriptwriting. The aim is to promote authentic stories and sustainably develop the country's creative film industry. NUHAT not only fosters cinematic expertise, but also the exchange of ideas and the growth of new networks.