Hope and communication - Festival of the arts at the Iraqi embassy in Rome

The Hope and Communication Festival (Festival Speranza e comunicazione) brings together Italian and Iraqi arts through a virtual exhibition which has been taking place on the cultural site of the Iraqi Embassy in Rome since 30 June (IT).     The Festival was promoted by Ambassador Ms. Safia Taleb Al-Souhail and organized by Misalla Art Group which "launched" the Arab / Italian cultural site iraqiembassyculturalsite.com and presented the event through its representative Ms. Frdws Bahnam. The Hope and Communication Festival (Festival Speranza e comunicazione) brings together free-to-air movies and documentaries via the O LIVE virtual platform, short films, filming of themed theatrical pieces, songs (many of which are still on the site due to restrictions from COVID-19) and an exhibition of 'Virtual art! Italian artists also participate in the art exhibition, including the master Gentile Polo with the work entitled "Confini"(Borders), a mixed technique painting (watercolor and tar) on wood. The works of the participating artists are freely viewable immediately below the presentation videos of the project and the Festival.  

(In photo: the artwork "Confini/Borders" of the italian artist Gentile Polo for the 

Hope and Communication Festival/Festival Speranza e comunicazione of the Iraqi Embassy in Rome).

  In addition to the art exhibition, it is possible to view the Iraqi documentary of the virtual platform O LIVE by Raghid Nenwaya (director), Stephen Habib (director of filming) and Labib Al-Katib (Supervisor) with children and young people from the Nivive Plain who express, through song, love for the Earth, conducted by Baghdida orchestras. Below is a documentary made around a terrorist attack on a place of worship in Baghdad seen through the visions of a fortune teller who turned to an escaped girl, she alone, to attack. In the documentary many cultural features of the place are visible, from clothes to traditional decorations, to esoteric uses that survive there as well, such as reading coffee grounds and making use of predictions. A brief theatrical performance by the Qaraqosh group (Baghdida) follows on the personal drama of the returnees: a young man who returned after years to his country does not recognize him, devastated by the war that made the foreigner influential and he a foreigner at home. Rabie Waad's monologue was written by Mufid Al-Baldawi, directed by Dr. Nashat Mubarak and Yoram Talal (Theater Director). The music of the Iraqi Music Company of the Art is still in publication due to the restrictions of coronaviruses also present in their country, in the meantime there is the song Jamalek Sumariy (Your beauty is Sumerian) by the artist Fadhil 'Awwad. The Hope and Communication Festival (Festival Speranza e comunicazione) inaugurates the Arab / Italian cultural website with mixed artistic participations between the two countries to give input to the knowledge and understanding of two cultures rich in tradition and beauty. It was therefore an honor for the Gentile Polo Art Studio to be able to participate in such an important event organized by the Iraqi Embassy in Rome (Italy). For all those who are curious to view the films and works of art on display at the Hope and Communication Festival, you can visit the cultural website at the following address: https://it.iraqiembassyculturalsite.com/  

(Lucia Martorelli - Gentile Polo Art Studio)