Under the initiative of the Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf Center for Strategic Studies, one of the centers affiliated with the Religious Authority in Holy Najaf, and with the participation of the Poets and Arts Department of the Union of Iraqi Journalists in Holy Najaf, the second season and fourth round of the cultural competition titled Nahr Al-Ibda was held. This competition included a series of questions covering religious, scientific, cultural, historical, geographical, and literary topics.

Additionally, in cooperation with the Poets and Arts Department at the Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf Center, a gathering of poets and writers of Iraqi folk literature was organized in Najaf under the poetry night titled Makateeb. This event was attended by a number of prominent poets of Iraqi folk poetry.