In the presence of the Custodian of the Holy Shrine of Imam Hussein, Sheikh Abd Al-Mahdi Al-Karbala’i (may his glory endure), and the Secretary-General of the Holy Shrine, Mr. Hassan Rashid al-‘Abayaji (may his success endure), the President of Al-Zahraa University for Women, Prof. Dr. Zainab al-Sultani, attended the fifth annual ceremony honoring exemplary female students in Iraqi universities. The event, organized by the Women’s Media Division of the Holy Shrine, was held in Sayyid al-Awsiyaa Hall within the holy sanctuary of Imam Hussein.

The celebration featured various activities and a keynote speech delivered by Sheikh al-Karbala’i, in which he stated: “The purpose of hosting such competitions is not merely to win awards, but rather to achieve a greater and deeper goal, which lies in building a human being capable of creating a successful life based on two essential pillars: knowledge and education. We all know the importance of knowledge, including religious and academic sciences, as the hadith says: ‘Knowledge is the foundation of all goodness.’ Therefore, we will continue to support these competitions and work to expand them in the coming years.”

In the same context, Prof. Dr. Zainab al-Sultani expressed her support for all women’s activities and for such events that aim to build women’s identities upon ethical foundations that elevate their religious, doctrinal, and academic levels. She emphasized the importance of channeling these values into meaningful reform within educational institutions and beyond, particularly as women enter the workforce, since women constitute half of society and nurture the other half.

The university delegation attending the celebration also included Dr. Huda al-‘Umaidi, Head of the Arabic Language Department, and Dr. Saba al-Khafaji, Head of the Mathematics Department. At the conclusion of the event, all participating students were honored with certificates of appreciation in recognition of their active contributions.

Translated by Zahra’ Salman Revised by Asst. Lect. Safa’ Al-Sadi