The General House of Cultural Affairs

The General House of Cultural Affairs (Arabic: دار الشؤون الثقافية العامة) is an Iraqi government publishing and cultural institution. It was established by law on 9 December 1975 under the name Dar Afaq Arabiyya (House of Arab Horizons) and was linked to the Ministry of Information. Its founding director was Shafiq al-Kamali. On 24 December 1986, its name was changed to Dar al-Shu'un al-Thaqafiyya (House of Cultural Affairs). The institution is headquartered in Baghdad, in a building noted for its distinctive Arab-Islamic architectural style, located in the Saba' Abkar district. It publishes the magazine Afaq Arabiyya, dedicated to deepening progressive Arab culture, and produces other periodical and non-periodical publications. It also has the legal capacity to establish and operate printing presses, contract with authors and translators, and acquire copyrights. The website darculture.com serves as an online presence, though as of the evidence it appears to be a placeholder page. The institution remains active as a state-owned cultural publisher in Iraq.

The General House of Cultural Affairs was established by law on 9 December 1975 as a public-benefit establishment named Dar Afaq Arabiyya for Press and Publishing (دار آفاق عربية للصحافة والنشر). It was affiliated with the Ministry of Information and granted legal personality, financial and administrative independence, and full capacity to achieve its objectives. Its nominal capital was 250,000 dinars. The house was tasked with publishing the magazine Afaq Arabiyya, dedicated to spreading and deepening progressive Arab culture in line with the revolutionary stage of the country and the Arab homeland. It was also authorized to issue periodic and non-periodic publications, establish and operate printing presses, contract with individuals for writing and publishing, cooperate with similar entities, and own copyrights and translation rights. Shafiq al-Kamali was the founder of Afaq Arabiyya and its first director. On 24 December 1986, the institution's name was changed to Dar al-Shu'un al-Thaqafiyya (House of Cultural Affairs). Its headquarters in Baghdad, in the Saba' Abkar district, was noted for its distinctive Arab-Islamic architectural style and large area; the area later became the Tunis neighborhood, and the house is located in locality 330, opposite the Al-Barh Mosque and the Sunni Endowment Department. The institution continues to operate as a state-owned cultural publisher in Iraq.

• Established by law as Dar Afaq Arabiyya for Press and Publishing, affiliated with the Ministry of Information.

• Name changed to Dar al-Shu'un al-Thaqafiyya (House of Cultural Affairs).

State-owned cultural publisher promoting progressive Arab culture.

• Afaq Arabiyya magazine

  A magazine dedicated to spreading and deepening progressive Arab culture.

1. 1darculture.com - darculture Resources and Information.darculture.com
2. 2The General House of Cultural Affairswikidata.org
3. 3دار الشؤون الثقافية العامةar.wikipedia.org