The Holy Alawi Shrine, as Iraq’s representative, took part in the first in-person meeting of the regional committee of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions for the Middle East and North Africa.
The Holy Alawi Shrine, represented by the Rawdat al-Haydariyyah Library of the Intellectual and Cultural Affairs Department, took part in the first in-person meeting of the regional committee of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) for the Middle East and North Africa.
The meeting was held in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, hosted by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra).
Karrar al-Hilu, head of the Rawdat al-Haydariyyah Library, attended on behalf of the Republic of Iraq in the regional committee for the 2025–2027 electoral term. He assumed this responsibility after winning Iraq’s representation seat in the IFLA elections.
Karrar al-Hilu told the Shrine’s news center:
“This participation aims to strengthen the presence of the Rawdat al-Haydariyyah Library in international professional circles, to represent Iraq and Najaf al-Ashraf in the field of library and information science, to contribute to the development of initiatives and partnerships that support library activities, to preserve intellectual and documentary heritage, and to support cultural and digital transformation.”
He also noted:
“The Rawdat al-Haydariyyah Library chairs three of the eight projects and initiatives approved by the committee, and is also a member of and participant in several other projects, which strengthens the library’s standing in the field of librarianship and regional cultural activities.”
He added:
“The meeting discussed the course of the committee’s regional activities, the implementation stages of the projects and initiatives approved under its program, and the mechanisms for developing them. It also examined ways to strengthen cooperation, exchange experiences, and build partnerships among library and information institutions in the region’s countries.”
The head of the Rawdat al-Haydariyyah Library stated:
“The hosting program for the Holy Alawi Shrine delegation included visits to a number of the Ithra Center’s departments, an introduction to the center’s experience in the fields of knowledge, culture, innovation, and reading, an exchange of experiences, and an exploration of opportunities for cooperation between cultural and library institutions.
