BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) – Mohammed Abdul Ameer’s nostalgia for better days and his roots in the Levant were what inspired him to open Basra’s first mixed-gender cafe since the rule of Saddam Hussein, and themed in honor of the Lebanese singer Fairouz. This place will bring people back to the past, to better days,” the owner said at his new Fairouz Cafe and Bookshop in central Basra. Conservative cityThe economics graduate’s dream project – to open a cafe that emulates the Damascus cafe culture – has come to fruition, and many locals are delighted. After Saddam was toppled, conservative Shi’ite-led parties took power in Basra, bringing with them a religiously restrictive lifestyle. Young people in Basra took part in protests in September which turned violent, complaining of unemployment, lack of services and corruption.

Source: Egypt Independent January 06, 2019 12:33 UTC