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The Full Story

About Peta Services

Welcome to Peta for Cultural Services from the heart of Iraq, Baghdad, where cultures converge, voices resonate, and communities thrive. As a beacon of cultural exchange and empowerment, we are dedicated to fostering understanding, respect, and solidarity among diverse Iraqi communities . Our organization stands as a catalyst for change, championing the rights and dignity of vulnerable groups, including minorities, children and Juveniles, and disadvantaged populations. Through innovative programs, collaborative initiatives, and advocacy efforts, we strive to create inclusive spaces where every individual can express themselves freely, pursue their aspirations, and contribute to a more just and harmonious society. Join us on this journey of cultural enrichment, empowerment, and social transformation.

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Our Mission

 Enhancing the accessibility of all Iraqis to basic rights like education, health, protection, Identity, and creativity.

 

Our Vision

To create a society in Iraq where every individual, regardless of background or circumstance, has equitable access to education, healthcare, protection, cultural identity, and opportunities for creative expression in adherence with the Iraqi constitution and International conventions. We envision a future where the rights and well-being of all Iraqis are safeguarded, fostering a vibrant and inclusive society that thrives on diversity and empowerment. We believe in fruitful partnerships as means to reach the aspired goals. 

Our Scope

Peta is a registered non-governmental organization in Iraq.
We work mainly in Baghdad and other Iraqi governorates like Mosul, Kirkuk, Babil, Wasit, Karbalaa, Anbar, Basra, and others.
We partner with local NGOs, communities, representatives, governmental institutions and international partners like embassies and ICSOs. 
We work in the fields of Human Rights, Children Rights, PWDs, Educating on Inclusion, Inclusive Education, youth empowerment for local market, Environment, Climate change education and action, arts and filmmaking. 

Our services

Peta sustains its function by providing a number of services like legal translation (E- Ar -E) , creative writing workshops, and coaching.

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Who We Are

Peta Center for Cultural Services: An independent local Non-Governmental organization registered under the number 1B1704007 in the NGOs Department in the General Secretariat of the Iraqi Council of Ministers on 18/4/2017. The center was established in partnership between Dr. Maitham Al-Harbi, a specialist in Arabic linguistics and modern literature, and Amal Ibrahim, a legal translator and Projects Manager. the aim is to invest in the cultural field and enrich the target groups by working in projects that have the ability to positively affect their current and future lives and address various cultural and awareness gaps and needs in various fields. The Center works in cooperation with local and international organizations in accordance with the legal contexts for the establishment of joint ventures and the performance reports are highly transparent and sustainable.

https://petacenter.wixsite.com/amalportfolio

what we do

Puppet Show

Educational Puppet shows 

30 schools in the outskirts of Baghdad 2013

http://www.petaforchildren.com/english.html

Organic Garden

The Tree Scouts

Environmental Aid Project in 30 schools and several rural areas in Baghdad 2013. self- funded projects.

Beautiful Young Girl

Youth on call

Since 2014, Peta has been providing youth with language skills, creative Writing, computer and programs skills and other related tools to win a decent place in the job  market.

Drawing Class

Young Mutanabi Center

In 2016, The doors of YMC opened to receive the children of old Baghdad area that is choked with disadvantaged kids from all walks of life.. With the support of the Australian Embassy in Baghdad and the Baghdadi Cultural Center, the center has become their hope and is still open till this day.

 

Boys in Guitar Class

Music for development

in 2016, Peta launched its project for healing traumatized kids with music. the touch of the instrument was the entry to a brighter world..

the center is recently developing a multi-donor project for music therapy.

Art Class

Active Citizens

Partnering with the British Council in Iraq
2018-2019

Peta Center was one of the four Iraqi NGOs nation-wide to be selected to design and implement a number of social action projects under the umbrella of the Active Citizens Program that was funded by the European Union and delegated to the British Council in Baghdad

during the couple of years Peta managed to design and implement 14 SAPs for supporting

Capacity Building for Primary and Secondary Education in Iraq with focus on inclusive education and how to eliminate dropping out of school for different communities. 14 customized projects were implemented.

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Children's Rights

2020-2021
working with the German Foreign Ministry, Felsberg Institute, and German Embassy in Baghdad

the project was launched in two main phases the first was the writing, illustrating and printing 5 hardcover children Rights stories covering the rights of: Education, Health, Life, , and protection from child labor. printing was executed in Iraq/ Basrah

the second phase was the awareness campaigns that took place in Basra, Baghdad, Karbalaa, Kut, Kirkuk and Mosul. the gatherings were held in open air gardens, orphanages, private and public schools, streets, theatres, IDPs camps and libraries.

the events included readings by authors and accompaniying drawing, open discussions with children, games, presents, and creative writing sessions. 

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cinema teens

funded by the German Embassy in Baghdad, Peta center designed and implemented a filmmaking project for teenagers where the participants lived the journey from research, gathering material , reaching the drama peak and all related technical and artistic interventions, they learned about audio, lighting, directing, and a bit about festivals and marketing.

Research Project by UCL/ AlNahrain Network 2024/ 2025

Peta Center for cultural services is keen to support modern arts that define clearly the messages and type of contribution that art could actually attribute as a turning point in the intellectual approach to enhance society and address its problems and issues  productively.  This project is a demonstration of our approach and is a close collaboration with the Iraqi Cinema and Theatre Directorate, the German Embassy in Baghdad and Bait Tarkib for modern Arts in Baghdad.

follow the hashtag on instagram for more information: #backstageforsocialchange 

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KAWALIS

 The Hidden Keys to Lasting Relationships!

By Dr. Maitham Al-Harbi/ CEO.

The history of Iraqi theater, as we recall, is closely intertwined with the political, social, economic, and cultural shifts the country has experienced. Theater productions have long reflected these influences, adapting to the changing tides of the nation.

Warming Up: What sets Backstage apart from other plays dealing with similar themes, in my view, is highlighted in two key aspects. First, it brings to light the accomplishments of theater during the Iraqi monarchy, a period defined as the "social state" era, lasting until 1958. During this time, plays critiqued the poverty and misery of the Iraqi people and the consequences of colonial domination, without placing blame on social relationships for the moral collapse. The second aspect reflects the achievements of theater during the rise of the "political state." These plays cleverly veiled their critiques, navigating around censorship to address the human crises faced by Iraqis under political oppression, war, and the dominance of singular ideologies. In Backstage, the artistic approach leans away from political commentary, instead suggesting a new utopian vision: a call for the rebirth of a "social state" that confronts the crisis of social relationships. Here, the responsibility for moral decay is placed squarely on society itself, assigning it the lion's share of accountability.

Organization: Backstage was performed over three days at Al-Rasheed Theater in Baghdad, drawing a large audience each night. The play, sponsored by the Cinema and Theater Department, with support from the German Embassy and organized by Peta Center for Cultural Services and the Tarkeeb Organization, created a distinctive evening in Baghdad. Written by Alaa Hussein, directed by Akram Essam, and starring Saad Mohsen and Shahenda Al-Rubaie, with scenography by Ali Al-Sudani, the production was a collaborative masterpiece.

Critique: The play's narrative employed a meta-narrative technique, breaking free from the omniscient narrator style. The writer immerses herself in the storytelling, engaging, reacting, and commenting in a fluid rhythm that allows the work to align aesthetically with postmodern reflections. Philosophically, it reflects Nietzschean thought, particularly the idea that humans must begin from their final moment, seizing control without relying on the preexisting knowledge "invented by smart animals in a far-off forest of the universe," as Nietzsche puts it in Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The protagonist, who desires to leave the hostile environment of exile and return to the familiar warmth of Baghdad, must calmly and thoughtfully weigh his difficult decision and its impact on "the couple’s life," free from external pressures or irrelevant details. The dialogue delivered by the actors—Alaa Hussein, Saad Mohsen, and Shahenda Al-Rubaie—was smooth and confident, clearly conveying the message. The back-and-forth between the performers created an acoustically rich and cohesive environment, harmonizing with the set design, which suggested that the characters on stage belonged to the middle class. The direction, deeply rooted in these technical elements, responded to the influence of mediology—the study of media—coined by Régis Debray. The director skillfully integrated the impact of media on human consciousness and the new values and concepts that have begun to infiltrate social relationships, particularly disrupting the continuity of romantic relationships through the constant stream of social media reels and their diverse content. The play presented behavioral advice cleverly disguised as socially critical questions, blending intellectual reflection with emotional resonance.

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