Mutanabbi Street is a celebrated part of Baghdad named for the 10th century Iraqi poet. It is filled with bookstores and cafes where people have gathered for centuries to exchange knowledge and ideas, and has been dubbed the heart and soul of Baghdad’s literary community.
But 10 years ago, on March 5, 2007, 26 people were killed when a car bomb exploded – destroying lives, businesses, and the vibrancy of this intellectual meeting place. Since then, the street has reopened, but the lives that were changed that day remain changed forever.
On this edition of Iraq Matters, we are pleased to welcome Moussa al-Naseri, a Baghdad native who sold stationary on Mutanabbi Street for many years and survived the 2007 bombing. Moussa is now a U.S. citizen. Joining him is Sarah Browning, co-founder and Executive Director of Split this Rock, a national nonprofit of poets, artists, and activists who encourage the use of art to advocate for peace.
