For sisters Mahra and Maria, the UAE Loves Iraq celebration at Expo City was a chance to get closer to a country they have only heard about from their mother. The two have not visited Iraq yet, but as they moved through its recreated landmarks and heritage displays, they kept stopping to ask questions about the places they hope to see one day.
The sisters posed together at a replica of Baghdad’s Martyrs’ Square, one of several Iraqi landmarks recreated inside Dubai Exhibition Centre.
Their mother explained the meaning behind the installations as the girls took in a side of Iraq they had not seen before.
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Maria (R) and Mahra (L)
Hundreds of Iraqi nationals living across the UAE gathered at the venue on Saturday for the second edition of UAE Loves Iraq, a celebration of the country’s culture, history and community.
Families walked through a souk-style lane, stopped beside a replica of Samarra’s famous spiral minaret, browsed heritage displays and posed for photographs under Iraqi and UAE flags.
A blue-and-gold heritage gateway, message walls covered with visitors' notes, traditional clothing displays and a main stage filled the hall.
Iraqi food, art, family activities and music brought together different generations of the community, many of whom said the event felt like a small piece of home in Dubai.
Replica of Samarra Tower
For Abu Omar, the feeling became even more personal as his young son Omar sat on his shoulders, holding an Iraqi flag while traditional music played across the hall. A UAE flag rose behind them as Abu Omar danced along to the tunes, smiling as Omar watched the crowd around him.
Omar has not visited Iraq yet, his father said, but the event gave him a glimpse of the country. “For him, this is a mini Iraq,” said Abu Omar. "The displays reminded him of my hometown and my own childhood, when I would sit on my father’s shoulders."
Saida, a 72-year-old from Erbil, came with her family to reconnect with fellow Iraqis living in the UAE. She said the event was a chance to highlight sides of Iraq that are often missed, including its hospitality, food and art.
“People do not know enough about how hospitable Iraqis are,” she said. “Our food and art are very good, but they are not highlighted enough.” For Saida, the celebration offered a place to meet the wider community and share that side of Iraq with younger generations.
The occasion was also marked by colour and embroidery, with women arriving in traditional Hasmi and Kurdish outfits. Among them were Gada Shaikli, Shireen Mirza, a chef and influencer, Rasha Al Naqeeb and Sally Al Dulaimi.
“We wear these traditional outfits only for special occasions,” Shireen said. “UAE Loves Iraq is one of those days when we want to come together, celebrate our roots and show people the beauty of our culture.”
From Left to Right - Gada Shaikli, Shireen Mirza, a chef and influencer, Rasha Al Naqeeb and Sally Al Dulaimi.
She added that the dresses carried their own stories. “I am wearing a Kurdish outfit today, while some of the women have chosen Hasmi dresses. Every piece has its own colour, embroidery and story, and wearing it here makes the celebration feel more personal.”
The programme also featured music, performances and creators, while visitors continued to fill the hall carrying flags, taking photographs and reconnecting with friends and family. For many, the gathering was not only about looking back at Iraq but also about helping children born and raised in the UAE feel connected to it.