As part of his series of weekly meetings with society elites and coinciding with Iraq International book fair, the head of the Al Nasr Coalition, Dr. Haider Al-Abadi, received a group of Iraqi writers, authors, and poets today Wednesday.

Dr. Al-Abadi began the meeting with a welcome speech in which he stressed the importance of culture, literature, and criticism in building a cohesive and advanced society and described literature as the history of peoples' culture. Emphasizing the role of writers and authors in enhancing awareness and national identity and confronting the intellectual and social challenges that Iraq is going through.

Dr. Al-Abadi addressed the guests by saying: "Any structure of the political system cannot withstand without a cultural structure, and when we say that our structure is democratic, the values of freedom, responsibility, and justice are the basic structures to ensure that the system is democratic and on the right track. This is your mission. A writer with self-responsibility and sincerity must bear the responsibility of being a social component and having a role in reforming society and the state."

The guests, who included a diverse group of Iraqi novelists, writers, critics, and poets from different generations, gave presentations and readings of their works, discussed current issues facing literature and culture in Iraq, and exchanged ideas on how to use literature as a tool for social and political change.

The meeting provided an opportunity for open discussion about ways to support the cultural scene in Iraq, including improving publishing opportunities for writers and developing literary outlets and spaces in which they are active.