As part of its diverse cultural initiatives at the Baghdad International Book Fair 2025, the Department of Intellectual and Cultural Affairs of the Imam Ali Holy Shrine organized a series of specialized educational workshops covering different fields of contemporary arts.
Karrar al-Hilo, head of the Department of Intellectual and Cultural Affairs and supervisor of the Shrine’s pavilion, told the Shrine’s News Center:
“In line with our specialized program, we launched a set of workshops to coincide with the opening of the Imam Ali Holy Shrine pavilion. These included a variety of artistic, intellectual, and cultural activities presented by the units affiliated with our department.”
Specialized and Intellectual Workshops
He explained:
“The program featured three consecutive workshops focused on innovative approaches in the field of book production. The first workshop addressed the topic of Kufic Mushaf calligraphy, presented by the calligrapher Hussein al-Kufi. It examined the historical development of the Mushaf Kufic script and the rules governing letter formation and word construction and concluded with practical exercises using selected examples.”
Karrar al-Hilo continued:
“The second workshop, delivered by Ahmed al-Mousawi, was dedicated to the craft of handmade natural paper. Participants were introduced to the raw materials and preparation methods, the principal tools of papermaking, the types of Islamic paper, and the distinctive watermarks that differentiate Islamic from European papers.”
He added:
“The third workshop, presented by engineer Sajad Khalid Mahdi, explored the process of 3D printing. It began with an introduction to 3D printing technology, showcased several types of 3D printers, explained in detail the stages from design to execution, and concluded with a review of the post-printing processes.”
It is worth noting that the Imam Ali Holy Shrine marked its presence at the Baghdad International Book Fair 2025 with a distinguished pavilion and active participation. Several departments contributed to this initiative, including Intellectual and Cultural Affairs, Media, Information Technology, Public Relations, and Engineering and Technical Affairs, along with other supporting units.
