Back-to-school festival in Basra promotes creativity over screen time

BASRA — In response to concerns over increasing digital addiction among children, Al-Ghadeer Art Studio organized the “Back to School” festival at al-Huriya Square in central Basra on Friday evening. More than 70 children participated in creative activities like drawing and calligraphy, aimed at promoting engagement outside of digital devices.

The festival coincided with the start of the academic year for over 12 million students across Iraq. While classes began on Sunday in most governorates, the Kurdistan Region’s school year will start on Sept. 25.

The event was designed to encourage children to participate in extracurricular activities, as many have become increasingly absorbed in mobile phones and tablets. Organizers emphasized the importance of fostering creativity and reducing screen time.

Mariam Zayed, a participant, told 964media, “In recent times, children have distanced themselves from extracurricular activities like drawing and coloring, focusing instead on iPads and electronic games. We hope that all families will pay more attention to their children, teaching them to draw, swim, and craft, while also setting aside time for watching TV and following cartoons.”

Hussein Al-Najjar, an organizer from Al-Ghadeer Art Studio, explained the importance of the festival, saying, “The ‘Back to School’ festival is one of our regular events, held every six months, especially during holidays. The goal is to re-energize students, encourage their return to school, and reduce their reliance on digital devices by promoting drawing, hobbies, and other extracurricular activities.”

Over the summer, video game sales surged on Kuwait Street in Al-Ashar, central Basra, with vendors reporting that many families preferred indoor gaming for their children over outdoor activities or social media browsing.