TO GO WITH 'Iraq-Environment-Culture' by Tony GAMAL-GABRIEL AND Asaad NIAZI
This aerial view taken on April 29, 2023 shows a man rowing a newly-constructed traditional "meshhouf" wooden boat in the area of al-Huwair in the sub-district of al-Madinah in Iraq's southern Basra province. A flotilla of traditional wooden boats piloted by young Iraqis makes its way along Baghdad's Tigris river, revealing a glimpse of the now drought-stricken country's ancient waterborne heritage. Once a fixture on Iraq's rivers and marshes, the elongated boats with tapered ends, known as "meshhouf", have been present "since the time of the Sumerians", says organiser Rashad Salim -- but their continued existence is threatened by modern technology and the impacts of climate change. (Photo by Asaad NIAZI / AFP)