Under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Naeem Al-Aboudi, and under the supervision of the President of Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, Dr. Hassan Lateef Al-Zubaidi, the University inaugurated the Short Story Competition for students of Iraqi universities. The event is organized by the Scientific Supervision and Evaluation Authority – Department of Student Activities, with wide participation from public and private universities and colleges.
The opening ceremony commenced with a recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an, followed by Al-Fatiha in memory of the martyrs of Iraq, and then the playing of the Iraqi national anthem.
The ceremony was attended by the University President, the ministerial delegation from the Scientific Supervision and Evaluation Authority – Department of Student Activities, the University’s Vice President for Administrative Affairs, Prof. Dr. Mohammed Abdul-Mohsen Al-Majtoumi, along with several deans of the university’s colleges, department directors, staff members, heads of participating university delegations, and a number of distinguished academic and literary figures.
In his speech, the University President stated:
“We are pleased and honored today to inaugurate the University Short Story Competition, which brings together more than fifty public and private universities from across our beloved Iraq. A total of (110) short stories have been submitted by our creative students to compete in this ministerial event, which is held as part of the Student Activities Department’s annual program for the academic year 2025–2026 / first semester. The competition will run for four consecutive days, under the generous patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Naeem Al-Aboudi.
Hosting this distinguished literary event is not a passing occurrence for Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University. This institution extends its roots across five Iraqi provinces, each one representing a chapter of the earliest human story.”
At the end of his speech, Al-Zubaidi wished all participating delegations a pleasant stay and hoped they would benefit greatly from this exceptional literary event. He also expressed his sincere appreciation to the ministerial delegation, the heads and members of the cultural and judging committees, the participating delegations, and all organizing committees in the Department of Student Activities for their outstanding efforts in holding this cultural carnival at our esteemed university.
In a related context, Dr. Ammar Hamed, representing the ministerial delegation, delivered a speech in which he stated that the organization of the ministerial short story festival is more than just presenting texts—it is a vision to be discovered, a message to be understood, and an echo of human awareness manifested in its finest form through the creativity of our dear students.
He expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation to Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, represented by its President, Prof. Dr. Hassan Lateef Al-Zubaidi, for its warm hospitality, excellent organization, and sincere efforts in ensuring that this gathering reflects the cultural awareness and advanced educational vision embodied by Iraqi universities. He also renewed his thanks to all preparatory and organizing committees and to everyone who contributed to the success of this distinguished literary event.
The ceremony also included the screening of a documentary film about the university and the honoring of several public and private universities.
It is noteworthy that the festival’s activities will continue for four days
