Nothing Left Unsaid: Get Ready for Iraqi Zine

In a country where creative freedom is under pressure and cultural spaces are exclusive and dying out, a new grassroots publishing project is reclaiming the narrative from the ground up. Iraqi Zine is an independent, youth-led initiative blending community workshops, artistic resistance, and bold visual storytelling into a vibrant, mobile platform. Each zine issue will spotlight a different city, theme, and lived experience, building an archive of Iraq’s collective imagination. “My most powerful work began when I stopped asking for permission. Iraqi Zine was born to give that same freedom to young creatives, those whose stories were always considered too loud, too personal, or too political.”

- Hamoody, founder of Iraqi Zine

The project’s first issue and launch workshop, Montawi, will take place on June 27–28 in Baghdad, and will explore mental health awareness through writing therapy and zine-making, a direct response to Iraq’s alarming rise in youth suicide rates.

Powered by the UNESCO x SEVENTEEN Going Together Grant, Montawi brings together young illustrators, writers, and cultural workers to co-create a healing space for untold stories. The workshop is led by creative writing coach Maha Hassan, with a team that includes Iraqi Zine founder Hamoody, curriculum designer Ali Raed, and community coordinator Amna Nader. "I've wanted to conduct a Zine workshop since 2021, however circumstances didn't allow me to due to lack of support and funding. Three years later we received support for Montawi and I decided to use the momentum by launching Iraqi Zine" says Hamoody. Follow the project on Instagram @iraqizine and stay tuned for updates, zine drops, and upcoming workshops across Iraq.