Under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Naeem Al-Aboudi, the University Theater Festival (for students of Iraqi universities) was inaugurated on morning of Monday, 8 December 2025. The event is organized by the Department of Student Activities at the Supervision and Scientific Evaluation Authority and is hosted by the University of Mosul until 11 December, with broad participation from public and private universities.

The opening ceremony was held under the supervision and presence of the President of the University of Mosul, Professor Dr. Wahid Mahmood Al-Ibrahimi, with the notable participation of the Ministry’s representative, Mr. Haider Muhammad Jabbar, members of the ministerial committee, members of the University Council, and representatives of the participating Iraqi universities.

The ceremony opened with the national anthem and a recitation of Al-Fatiha in memory of Iraq’s martyrs, followed by a blessed recitation from the Holy Qur’an. The festival program then began with a speech by the University President, in which he welcomed Mosul’s guests from various governorates, stressing that the university today stands as a testament to the triumph of knowledge and culture over the forces of ignorance and extremism.

The Ministry’s representative, Mr. Haider Muhammad Jabbar, also delivered a speech emphasizing that art, alongside science, constitutes a fundamental pillar in building society and unleashing the creative and intellectual potential of youth.

The festival activities included the screening of a documentary film portraying the University of Mosul’s journey from the ashes of destruction to the horizons of reconstruction and contribution. Musical performances added a celebratory atmosphere to the occasion, followed by a series of theatrical shows presented by university students before a specialized judging panel.

At the conclusion of the first day’s events, the University President presented official acknowledgments to the Ministry’s representative and the participating university delegates in appreciation of their contribution to the success of this national cultural event. Mr. Haider Muhammad Jabbar also inaugurated the festival’s art exhibition, which featured a collection of paintings depicting, through the creativity of talented artists, the stages of Mosul and its university’s revival and rebirth following the defeat of extremist forces.

With this, the University of Mosul announces the beginning of bright celebratory days that restore university theater to the forefront of the creative scene and reaffirm the role of Iraqi universities in promoting the values of art, culture, and peace.