Iraq's Cultural Curators Defy Sectarian Unrest
Cultural life in Iraq is reeling after years of attacks linked to the violence that has gripped the country since the U.S. invasion in 2003. Although much has been lost with the targeting of cultural icons and institutions, people interested in books, music and art are still finding ways to breathe life into Iraq's intellectual community.
The most visible recent attack was a bombing this month at the booksellers market on al-Mutanabi street in Baghdad.
After four years of conflict, it is the familiar litany of tragedy in Iraq.
But against all odds, an institution that collects books and documents is being rebuilt just down the road. It's the Iraq National Library and Archive.
The library is literally rising from the ashes and being turned into something that goes far beyond what it was before.
Saad Eskander is the head of the National Library. When he took it over in late 2003 it had been looted and burned, a few plastic chairs were all that remained.
Now it's a spotless hive of activity which he's proud to show off. One room is filled with state-of-the-art computer systems....
Read entire article at NPR
The most visible recent attack was a bombing this month at the booksellers market on al-Mutanabi street in Baghdad.
After four years of conflict, it is the familiar litany of tragedy in Iraq.
But against all odds, an institution that collects books and documents is being rebuilt just down the road. It's the Iraq National Library and Archive.
The library is literally rising from the ashes and being turned into something that goes far beyond what it was before.
Saad Eskander is the head of the National Library. When he took it over in late 2003 it had been looted and burned, a few plastic chairs were all that remained.
Now it's a spotless hive of activity which he's proud to show off. One room is filled with state-of-the-art computer systems....