A delegation of Mosul youth and intellectuals recently visited Baghdad as part of an initiative to express their recognition of the Iraqi forces' sacrifices in liberating Mosul from the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS).
During the three-day visit, which concluded Monday (July 24th), the delegation met with government officials and paid tribute to Iraqi soldiers killed in the Mosul battles.
"The 200-member delegation included civil activists, intellectuals, academics, artists and poets" representing all spectrums of Mosul society, said delegation member and activist Saqr Al Zakaria.
Delegation members took part in a demonstration held at the Liberation square in central Baghdad, where they raised national slogans calling for "the rejection of sectarianism and divisions".
"We also paid tribute at the Najaf cemetery to all soldiers who gave their lives to ensure our freedom and save us from ISIS's brutality," he said.
This visit's success "motivates us to undertake similar visits to the central and southern provinces of the country" in recognition of their sons’ significant contribution to liberate Mosul, he added.
A big festival will soon be held in Mosul to celebrate the liberation of the city, he said, and will shed light on tales of humanity and compassion in the midst of war.