Atheer Nizar is a student in the medical school at the University of Mosul. He was born on the east bank of Mosul in 1995 and lived near Palestine Street. He is not married. His family lived in a small, nice house with two floors and a small gardent. It was not very old, about fifteen years old. He was living in this house with his married brother, father and mother in-law. His father used to take care of the house garden, and he always looked for new flowers to add to his collection. Atheer spent most of his time in his room playing video games. He went to a very special school in Mosul that accepted a limited number of students. Their teachers were all professors in the University of Mosul. His favorite memory at school is when they stayed up late at night at school to look at the moon and stars using telescopes.
Emad Abdulahad is from Ras al-Jada in the center of Mosul. He is married and has three daughters and a son. He was living in his grandfather's house with his parents and his two uncles. The house had a window overlooking their neighbor's house, and they opened the window and talked with each other. He says that his parents did not allow him to play in the middle of the day because the neighbors were sleeping at that time. They woke up again around five in the afternoon and had tea, cookies, and yogurt. They made their own bread in a clay oven and sent bread to their neighbors before eating it. Then they gathered and ate it in the hall that was open to the sky. They were the only Christian family in the neighborhood. All their neighbors were Muslims. Their neighborhood was a great example of coexistence in Mosul. They celebrated each other’s holidays like Eid and baptisms. For the Muslim Eid, he would cross the old bridge to go to the amusement park with his friends. On their Christian holidays, they changed the rugs and decorated the big hall to welcome guests. More than two hundred people came to congratulate them. In their neighborhood they had a Christian church that is 1500 years old. Emad went to school and on their way home he and his friends ate sweets with bread that they bought from from Uncle Younis as he mentioned. Emad studied until ninth grade, but he left school after that. He tried to apply again for school, but they did not accept him because he was a solider. Emad woke at eight in the morning and worked on a lathe machine. He likes to eat qaymar (clotted cheese) every moring, and would buy milk from a man who sold fresh milk in barrels.
Noel Ibrahim is a retired elementary school teacher who was born in Mosul in 1994. He worked in different schools where he taught Christian and Muslim students without any difference between them. His only aim is to enlighten students, no matter what their ethnicity and religion. He used to teach in a school where all of his students were Muslims, and his students still call him and ask about him. He believes that children should be well educated at an early age. This is why he taught first grade. He was born and lived in Hosh al-Khān neighborhood, close to the Nebi Jirjis (Saint/Prophet George) Mosque. All their neighbors lived in peace and harmony. They visited each other for ceremonies and funerals. They prepared cookies for their feasts and presented them to their neighbors. On the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad, their neighbors brought them sweets. Their house was an example of the coexistence of the people of Mosul. His house was located between a church and a mosque. In the morning he listened to the call to prayer, and from the other side he heard the sound of the church bell. Noel is from the Christians of Mosul, but until now the call to prayer of the mosques enraptures him. “This is our ethics and upbringing,” says Noel. He says that there were a lot of opportunities for him to leave Iraq, but he refused to leave.
Abdullah Muhammad, is a student in the medical college who lived in the Tayaran zone on the right bank of Mosul near the river. He remembers the sound of the airplanes from his neighborhood because he lived next to Mosul Airport. He lived in a large house with three gardens. Abdullah is from a family of five and is not married. His attended primary school at Abey Tamam near the Airport, and secondary school near Nabi Younis mosque on the left bank, so he had to cross the river on the way to school. In school, his teachers were of different ethnicities and sects. His favorite memory of school is when they organized a gallery and the governor of Mosul came to their school to see it. He spent his childhood playing with his friends, usually biking near the river. His favorite game is basketball, and he and his friends collected money to buy a ball. He visited monasteries like Dayr Mar Matti, where they took their food and had a picnic. His uncle's wife was Christian and she lit a candle at the monastery. Abdullah enjoyed Mosul because it is a multicultural city. “All of the components of Iraq were gathered in Mosul,” he says.
Shahba Shamun is a woman born in Zakho, who lived in Mosul, Karamlesh. All her family are farmers, and they have land and animals like cows and sheep. Their land was famous for producing onions and grapes . Shahba said that they sold their harvests to each other in the village. Her sister's house was very nice. She would go to visit her, and they gathered in the garden. Her sister was in love with flowers and she brought all kinds of flower that she liked. The smell of the flowers in the garden was amazing. The smell of villages enraptures her. She said that the village was not polluted like the cities. The village was green, and it smelled very nice. In the spring, yellow flowers grew everywhere. She says that marriage ceremonies in her village might last a whole month. They prepared for the dances and the music. The wife's relatives brought her clothes and accessories and arranged them in the girl’s new house. They cooked biryani (a rice dish), dolma (stuffed grape leaves and vegetables), and kubba (meat-stuffed bulgur pie). A French organization that visited them in the village liked their food, and they asked them to cook these specialties for them.
Dr. Ali Abdulqadir is an eye surgeon born in Mosul in 1963. Dr. Ali is married to Dr. Dalia who is also a doctor teaching at the University of Mosul. Dr. Ali has three kids, two boys and one girl. His house was near the forests of Mosul on the Tigris River that had a very nice view. Since his childhood, his hobby has been collecting stamps. Dr. Ali graduated from the University of Mosul, which was next to his house, five minutes away. He always dreamed of becoming a famous surgeon or university professor, and his dream came true. His favorite books to read were scientific books and biographies of scientists. His father brought him the books. He went to picnics to some of the monasteries of Mosul, and they took their food with them for picnics. His favorite food is kubba (meat-stuffed bulgur pie), especially the ones his mother cooks. He traveled a lot with his family to different places like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, Britain, Germany, France. His favorite memories are of his kindergarten and primary school, where they had competitions and he won several trophies.
Naziha Ishua is a woman who was born in 1964 in a village known for Damascus Roses. This place is called Karamlesh at al-Hamadānīyah. Karamlesh is an agricultural region. Naziha lived in a modern house and their garden was full of jasmine and Damascus roses. They collected these flowers and took them to the church nearby. Their school was close to their house, and she walked there with her classmates. Naziha says that their school built a very successful generation. They had a lot of activities in school like exercising, track and field, and camping. Her favorite memory of school is when she acted as a soldier in the theater. She shot her classmates with a toy gun in the theater, but her classmate thought that she was attacked for real. In the feasts Naziha and her family painted eggs and cooked traditional food. On the feast of the Saint Barbara all the village people visited the Monastery of Saint Barbara and they took their own food with them for a picnic to enjoy their time. They wore the traditional clothes of Karamlesh at these feasts. Naziha mentions that in her mother's time, all the marriages were arranged, but in her time that was a lot different. In their village boys and girls dated each other at cafes and at church events. After that they got engaged, when the boy's family went to ask for the girl’s hand. The church taught newly married couples how to build a successful family together.
Ismail Younis is a chemistry teacher who was born in Mosul in 1992. He lived with his family in the al-Kefah neighborhood, where professors at the University of Mosul lived. He claims that it was one of the best places of Mosul as it was very quiet. Ismail lived in a two-story house that with six rooms and a small garden. Ismail’s favorite memory of the house is the sidewalk in front because that was where he met his friends. Ismail also met his friends to play football and in cafes to play computer and video games. He loves football and his childhood dream was to be a football player. Ismail said that Mosul is a mixed city with all the different ethnicities and sects. For example, Christians and Yazidis lived in their neighborhood. Ismail mentions that Ramadan was a very special month for him. All the streets were empty during Iftar (the breaking of the fast at sundown), and after Iftar the streets became full of people again. He would play traditional games with the neighbors on the nights of Ramadan. Ismail mentions that he went to Christian funerals in the church with his father, where he was fascinated by the beauty of the church. Ismail graduated from the University of Mosul. He used to study with his friends in the cafeteria, library, or the university garden. Sometimes they watched the events that were held by the university. Ismail went with his family to picnics especially in the spring, and they visited the monasteries like Dayr Mar Matti.
Hassan Ahmed is a Construction Engineering student at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani. He was born in 1993 in Hay al-Zohur on the right bank of Mosul. He finished his primary and secondary school in Mosul. He is from a family of six, he has two sisters and a brother, and is not married. His father is a professor at University of Mosul, and his mother is studying for a masters degree. His mother was a housewife, but after 2003 she started to work in organizations helping people in need. He says his neighborhood was full of civilized people. Their neighborhood was very clean and had luxury shops that people used to visit during the Eid. Hassan said that they celebrated Eid in their house, and Hassan mostly played with his cousins. He lived with his grandparent and uncle. His grandfather sang for him until he went to sleep and used to call him ‘Hassoni.’
Adnan Abdulahad is from al-Nabi Younis neighborhood, and was born in 1965. He went to school, but left after ninth grade because of the Iraq-Iran War. During the war, there were not enough workers and his father needed someone to help him in the marble factory, so he forced him to leave school. He now works as house builder installing marble. He is married and he has three daughters and two sons. His wife is his relative and his family arranged his marriage. He said that his wife is a housewife and he does not want her to go out to work. In his neighborhood there were Muslims, Arabs, and Kurds, and no problems between them. He played football with local football teams in a field close to their house. He says that on Muslim holidays, we all celebrate, and on the holidays of the Christians and Yazidis too. Everyone celebrated the holidays with music and dancing. He traveled to the northern parts of Iraq with his family for picnic. Adnan’s favorite foods are pacha (stuffed tripe) and maqluba (upside-down chicken and rice).
