IMC opens Imam Hussain Media and Cultural Cooperation Center in Istanbul

Coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Eid al-Ghadir, the Imam Hussain Media and Cultural Cooperation Center was opened in the Turkish city of Istanbul, in cooperation between Imam Hussain Holy Shrine and Al al-Bayt Foundation.

The opening ceremony was attended by a media delegation from Imam Hussain Holy Shrine, officials of Al al-Bayt Foundation, representative of the Iraqi Consul in Istanbul, Dia al-Amiri, representatives of the al-Jafari Scholars Association of Zainabiyah, the al-Asr Foundation, a number of Turkish journalists, and members of the Iraqi community in Turkey.

The ceremony began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by a speech by the head of the delegation and the assistant media official at Imam Hussain Holy Shrine, Hassan Ali Kadhim, in which he said, “First and foremost I would like to convey the greeting of the representative of the Supreme Religious Authority, Sheikh Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalaey, from the holy city of Karbala and I would also like to congratulate you on the blessed Eid al-Adha, and Eid al-Ghadir, the day on which the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, appointed Imam Ali, peace be upon him, as his successor.”

Kadhim added, "It is no secret that the role of media and the cultural and religious cooperation are crucial to highlight the principles of Islam that call for dialogue and peaceful coexistence, and here we are today opening the center that will be a starting point for important projects derived from the concepts of the blessed renaissance of Imam Hussain, peace be upon him.”

The assistant media official at Imam Hussain Holy Shrine pointed out that after the project to establish the first cooperation center received the approval of Sheikh Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalaey, the International Media Center (IMC) worked with the Al al-Bayt Foundation and under the guidance of His Eminence Sayyid Jawad al-Shahristani, in order for this day to be a turning point in the history of cooperation between the religious, cultural and media institutions in Turkey, and the Imam Hussain Holy Shrine.

Addressing the officials of Turkish institutions, the head of the delegation said, “We welcome all your proposals, ideas and work programs, within what can be adopted by this cooperation center, to form a common vision for continuous and serious work, built on a solid ground."

The official of the Al al-Bayt Foundation in Istanbul, Sheikh Rahmani, said, “The opening of a center for media and cultural cooperation between Imam Hussain Holy Shrine and the Al al-Bayt Foundation, is historical and qualitative. This one-of-a-kind center will be a gathering and a starting point for ideas and proposals of Turkish institutions, which serve the lovers of the Ahlulbayt, peace be upon them, especially the projects sponsored by the Holy Shrine.”

Rahmani  added , "With the approval of the representatives of the Supreme Religious Authority in Karbala and Turkey, Sheikh al-Karbalaey and Sayyed Jawad al-Shahrestani, respectively, diligent work was carried out to develop an integrated study for the establishment of the center, over the previous three years, where an office was allocated in the holy city of Karbala, and now another office in the city of Istanbul, we hope that these blessed efforts by the brothers in the International Media Center will culminate in an integrated plan of action that meets the aspirations of the faithful followers of the Ahlulbayt, peace be upon them, in Turkey and in Iraq.”

The representative of the Iraqi Consul in Istanbul, Dia al-Amiri, highlighted the importance of such initiatives to serve the Iraqi community in Turkey. He stressed that the opening of the cooperation center, although a late step, is necessary to exchange visits and experiences, and to hold training courses in various professions and fields. .

The Grand Mufti of Shias in Turkey, Sheikh Ali Akbar Yurt Son, congratulated the attendees on the occasion of Eid al-Ghadir, and stressed in his speech “the importance of having the message of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, spread in all parts of the world.”

The Ottoman Language Specialist, Professor Amir al-Khalidi, delivered a lecture on the heritage of the Ahlulbayt, peace be upon them, in Turkish literature, revealing the names of many Turkish writers, poets and researchers who wrote about the Master of Martyrs, peace be upon him.

The ceremony concluded with a congratulating message by the representative of the Jafari Scholars in Zainabiyah, Sheikh Ibrahim Sharan, on the occasion of Eid al-Ghadir, and the opening of the cooperation center.

 

Sabah al-Talaqani