Baghdad to host Bilad al-Rafidayn Economic Forum from 16 to 18 November 2026 with cultural and artistic program
The Bilad al-Rafidayn Economic Forum will be held in Baghdad from 16 to 18 November 2026 with expected participation from officials, business leaders and investors, and a cultural program that includes literature, visual arts, music and ceramics.
Baghdad – Sawsan al-Jazrawi
Baghdad is preparing to host the Bilad al-Rafidayn Economic Forum, to be held from 16 to 18 November 2026, with expected participation from officials, business leaders, investors and regional and international institutions.
The forum’s activities are not limited to discussing investment, trade, energy and infrastructure issues; they also include a cultural and artistic program running alongside the economic dialogue sessions, placing literature, visual art, music and ceramics in a celebratory space in recognition of the living artistic heritage of Bilad al-Rafidayn.
In the literary program, the writer, translator and academic Bahira Abdul Latif Yassin will participate; she is known for works that link Arab and Spanish literary cultures.
On the visual arts front, Iraqi-Canadian artist Fuad Hamdi will present an exhibition of thirty works, combining new pieces and recently released works, in addition to a virtual display that allows digital viewing of the works.
On the musical side, the all-female ensemble "Sumriyat," led by Maestro Alaa Majid, will give a live performance on the first day, presenting a musical experience that draws on the Iraqi maqam and reinterprets it in an orchestral framework.
Ceramist and artist Aws Al-Ausi will contribute a handcrafted commemorative gift inspired by the 'Shamash the Babylonian' plaque, which will be presented to heads of delegations during the closing session, in an initiative that links contemporary craft with the civilizational memory of Bilad al-Rafidayn.
This cultural presence comes in the context of integrating the arts into the spaces of economic dialogue, a step whose organizers say aims to highlight Iraq’s creative diversity and civilizational heritage alongside its economic potential and opportunities for cooperation and investment.
The forum is scheduled to run for three days, during which sessions will cover topics of regional connectivity, trade, energy, finance and innovation, while some organizational details and specific participations remain subject to final confirmation.
