Priority area: Culture and Arts
Flagship program: International Speakers Program
Country location: Australia
Grantee: Iraqi Australian University Graduates Forum

The Iraqi Cultural Festival aims to bring together the diverse sections of the Iraqi community in Australia fractured by violence in Iraq through art production and celebration of cultural diversity, and to showcase Iraqi art, culture and history to the broader Australian society.

The project will involve multiple cultural and arts activities in Sydney and in Melbourne that include keynote speaker sponsored by the International Speakers Program in addition to musical, theatrical and poetry performances by local Iraqi Australian artists and screening of selection of Iraqi short films made by Iraqis from Australia and overseas. This festival will build on the partnerships developed in the 2016 Iraqi Cultural Festival and the success of attracting more than 600 people to the festival over 2 days, by engaging more cultural and art producers and expanding its diverse program to Melbourne.

Key dates

• 29-30 30 April 2017 Iraqi Cultural Festival (Sydney)
• 3 May 2017 Sydney Ideas Public lecture by the guest keynote speaker hosted by the Department of Arabic Language and Cultures, supported by the University's Religion State and Society Research Network
• 7 May 2017 Iraqi Cultural Festival (Melbourne)

Social media:

• http://www.iraqiculturalfestival.com.au/
• https://www.facebook.com/IraqiCulturalFestival/
• http://www.iraqiculturalfestival.com.au

Council for Australian-Arab Relations grant offer: $18,100.00 GST exclusive

Total project value: $56,800.00