A significant project to rehabilitate the historic house of iconic Iraqi poet Badr Shakir Al-Sayyab in Basra was launched this month. The initiative aims to transform the residence in Jaykur, Abu Al-Khaseeb, into a literary museum dedicated to the pioneer of poetic modernism.
The Iraqi Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities announced the project in collaboration with UNESCO and the European Union, as part of the third phase of the “Reviving the Old Cities of Mosul and Basra” initiative. Minister Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani is patronizing the effort.
Officials stated the transformation into a literary museum is a crucial step in enhancing Iraq’s cultural infrastructure. It will serve to attract visitors interested in modern Arab literature, boost cultural tourism, and revive the literary memory of one of Iraq’s most prominent poets.
The launch was announced at a seminar in Basra attended by cultural figures, academics, and international representatives, underscoring the government’s commitment to restoring cultural symbols and heritage sites.
One of the pioneers in rejuvenating contemporary Arabic poetry. He is considered, along with Abd Al-Wahhab Al-Bayyati and Nazek Al-Mali’keh, one of the first to attempt writing in the modern form of Arabic poems or what has come to be known as the trochee poem, qasidet al-taf`ileh.