SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region - For many years, the Cultural Cafe in the Kurdistan Region’s city of Sulaimani has been a bustling meeting place for all kinds of people. But now, the small establishment that has pioneered such innovations as a radio station and mobile library must close its doors because it has been asked to move.

“We have to pack up,” said Idris Omar, owner of the Cultural Cafe that has been among the most popular and crowded coffee houses in the city. In short, the owner of the building where the cafe is located has asked Omar to leave.

“We cannot move from one building to another every now and again. We have asked the governor, parliament and deputy prime minister to find us a solution. They have not done anything for us,” Omar complained to Rudaw. “All we want from the government is to let us rent one of the public buildings.”

Chiloora Hardi, a frequent visitor to the cafe, said she was disappointed to hear that it was closing. “In the past two years, this cafe has been very innovative. The mobile library and Book Voice Radio are some of the unique works of this cafe. It is sad to hear such news about the cafe,” she added.

The cafe, located in the heart of Sulaimani City’s Aqari neighborhood, is run by 10 volunteers. Omar says that a decision by the managers to sell the radio and library for financial reasons amounts to “suicide.”

“In the past two years more than 500 political, artistic, environmental, religious, musical, health and public awareness activities have been carried out” at the cafe, he said. The establishment has been able to gather a large number of followers on social media networks.

“The cafe has literally brought creativity to Sulaimani,” said Rizgar Muhammed, who has attended a number of cafe events. “Even though the cafe is not a government body, the government should have really looked after it, because it has served the city as much as the government.”

The cafe, which has been a crowded meeting place for academics, politicians, intellectuals and just people who like to read, has many more supporters like Muhammed.

But Ako Sierini, the director of Sulaimani Cinema, believes the government should not be blamed for not helping. “This cafe is privately owned. The government has no business in helping a private sector cafe,” he said.

Last April, Deputy Prime Minister Imad Ahmad had promised to help resolve the problems of the Cultural Cafe. That was followed by similar pledges by the Iraqi First Lady Hero Ahmad. But the promises remained only that – promises.



by Nawzad Mahmoud
RUDAW