How Walaa Fayez Brought Books to Rural Iraq
In the heart of Al Diwaniyah, Walaa Fayez’s library offers a space for learning, reflection, and community connection in southern Iraq
Growing up in rural Iraq, books were a lifeline for Walaa Fayez—a way to discover the world from his small village near Al Diwaniyah. In school he was bullied, targeted by other children because he had a disability. “Sometimes even the adults joined in, but I overcame these difficulties by reading and creating a world of my own,” he says.
As a teenager, he read Jean Paul-Satre and other works of philosophy, finding the answers to his existential questions about life. Now, he is making this opportunity available to others through his public library, offering free access to books for people in the community. “Society here is traditional, and people can be closed-minded. By reading, you open up to different ideas and acquire new knowledge that can expand the horizons of your thinking,” he says.
Fayez, 34, launched his public library in Al Diwaniyah in 2017. The southern Iraqi city had few bookshops and no public libraries, and he wanted to create a way for people to access information. Since then, the library has evolved into a literary salon where people read, seek refuge, and discuss new ideas.
“People come to get away from the challenges of daily life,” Fayez says, describing the mixed crowd of children, adults, and students that frequent the space. He also runs a small bookshop in the library, which often operates at a loss because prices in Al Diwaniyah are lower than in Baghdad, where he sources the books.
Most of his volumes come from the famous book market on Al Mutanabbi Street, the literary hub of Iraq’s capital. Fayez worked here while attending university, spending his weekends honing the art of bookselling and discovering new works. He used his skills to run bookfairs at university, where he studied Arabic Literature, allowing other students to expand their literary horizons.
When the owner of the bookshop died, he decided to set up on his own and began transporting volumes from Baghdad to Al Diwaniya, determined to bring a little of the capital’s book buzz to his native city. “Demand for books is low here, but I learned how to get people interested through my job on Al Mutanabbi Street,” he says.
Profit from the library bookshop is minimal and people often ask why he is so invested when the turnover is low. Fayez tells them that this is his passion and that he will continue, no matter what, finding other ways to support himself financially so he can continue the work.
An Innovation Hub grant from Ideas Beyond Borders has helped cover the property's monthly rent and purchase new books for the space. Most are novels, or works of philosophy and sociology, which cater to the interests of his regulars.
“Fayez has filled a knowledge vacuum in Al Diwaniyah, opening a channel for better communication, cultural understanding, and education,” says Faisal al Mutar, President of Ideas Beyond Borders. “This is the momentum that’s needed to increase access to information in Iraq and ensure we make books and learning available to everyone.”
This article was written by Olivia Cuthbert.