The new edition of the Baghdad International Book Festival kicked off at the Exhibition Grounds, with wide participation from more than five hundred publishing houses representing thirty Arab and foreign countries. The opening ceremony witnessed remarkable attendance by elite writers, thinkers, and poets from across the Arab world, who expressed their joy at Baghdad's return as a leading cultural beacon in the region. This year's festival includes special pavilions for Iraqi expatriate writers, in addition to a rich program of literary seminars and intellectual dialogues addressing issues of identity, modernity, and enlightenment. The festival administration has dedicated a major award for the best literary work highlighting Iraq's civilizational history, along with organizing workshops for children and youth aimed at instilling a love of reading from an early age. The organizers hope the festival will reflect a positive civilized image of Iraq.