Children of the Tigris: An Iraqi Night of Memory and Dialogue

For centuries, the Tigris has carried the voices of Iraq’s many peoples, echoing stories of coexistence, loss, and resilience. This night was an invitation to listen to those echoes once more.

On March 11, four Iraqis—two Jews and two Muslims— shared poetry, memory, and reflections on a history that binds them despite time and distance. Sarah, Omar, Edwin, and Faisal have each, in their way, dedicated themselves to preserving Iraq’s Jewish heritage, safeguarding a past that belongs to all Iraqis.

Through conversation, they traced the currents of memory: the Iraq that was, the Iraq that remains, and the Iraq that may yet be. In a time when forgetting is easy, this gathering was a quiet act of defiance—a reminder that history endures, that voices once silenced can still be heard, and that dialogue remains a bridge between the past and the future.

An evening where words reclaimed lost spaces, heritage was remembered and honored, and the Tigris still flows, carrying with it the stories of those who refuse to let them fade.

Panelists:

• Sarah Sassoon – Iraqi Jewish writer, poet, and educator
• Edwin Shuker – International businessman, former Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
• Faisal Al Mutar – Founder, Ideas Beyond Borders
• Omar Mohammed – Director, Antisemitism Research Initiative (ARI) at The George Washington University

On March 11, 2025, the Program on Extremism (PoE) at The George Washington University hosted an event titled “Children of the Tigris: An Iraqi Night of Memory and Dialogue.” Panelists included Sarah Sassoon, Faisal Al Mutar, and Edwin Shuker, joined by PoE Senior Research Fellow & Head of the Antisemitism Research Initiative, Omar Mohammed. 

The discussion commenced with Sarah Sassoon, an Iraqi Jewish writer, poet, and educator, describing her connection to Iraq. She highlighted that her family was born and raised in Baghdad, but moved from Iraq in the 1950s. Sassoon discussed how her writing serves as a way to remember and pay honor to the beautiful life her family lived in Iraq. Sassoon also shared her belief that real change and a plausible solution require each and every person to rid their hearts of hate and to approach  these challenges at the human level. She emphasized that, at the end of the day, we are all human before we are Jewish, Arab, Christian, etc. and we must collectively approach these issues without hate. 

Edwin Shuker, an international businessman and former Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, described how he lived in Iraq for 16 years, eight of those being “heaven,” as he noted, and the other eight being a struggle. Shuker described that since he and his family left Iraq, he has always felt like something was missing in his life. He looks back on those years spent in Baghdad and his fond memories with extreme nostalgia. Moreover, Shuker explained that the reason there is trouble around reopening the discussion around the acknowledgement of Iraqi Jews depends on how popular the conversation is within Iraq and how Iraq’s neighbors have influenced the  narrative. 

Faisal Al Mutar, founder of Ideas Beyond Borders, explained that the first thing that comes to mind when he thinks about Iraq is “wasted potential.” He shared that Iraqis are successful and driven people who are pursuing degrees in various fields abroad, making names for themselves, but it is always elsewhere and rarely in Iraq. Al Mutar noted that Iraqis frequently take  their talents and hard work elsewhere because they have not had the opportunity to thrive  in their own country. He proudly shared that, despite the hardships Iraqis face, they remain resilient and strong, continuing to accomplish incredible feats. He concluded his comments by saying that although the situation  might be grim now, they must maintain hope because there is still a chance things can change for the better.