Iraqi PM visits Bayt al-Hikma in Baghdad, orders its revival

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falah al-Zaydi visited the Bayt al-Hikma (House of Wisdom) in Baghdad on Wednesday for an inspection tour, according to a written statement from the Prime Minister's press office. During the visit, al-Zaydi reviewed the institution's scientific, intellectual and cultural activities on site and stressed that it deserved greater attention. Al-Zaydi said Bayt al-Hikma should serve as a center for thinkers and scientists and that it should host an annual congress to propose solutions to Iraq's challenges. He also instructed that the necessary resources be provided to reactivate the institution and that relevant ministries and bodies supply financial and technical support. Naim Abd Yasser al-Abboudi, head of the Bayt al-Hikma Security Council, briefed the prime minister on the institution's historical contributions to intellectual production and Arab-Islamic culture. The visit ended with al-Zaydi touring the corridors and halls of the Abbasid-era institution to review its historical development.