Under the patronage of the Deanship of the College of Medicine at the University of Baghdad, the Continuing Education Unit, in cooperation with the Human Rights Unit, organized a scientific workshop entitled “The Civilizational and Historical Role of Baghdad – Baghdad, the Arab Tourism Capital.” The workshop was held in accordance with the University’s directives and in conjunction with the commemoration of Baghdad Day.
The workshop highlighted the pioneering status of Baghdad as one of the greatest centers of human civilization since its foundation during the Abbasid era in 762 AD. The city subsequently emerged as a global center of knowledge, scholarship, and cultural interaction, playing a pivotal role in the flourishing of the translation movement and the transmission of scientific knowledge to Europe, thereby serving as a civilizational bridge between the East and the West.
The workshop also examined the development of medicine in Abbasid Baghdad. During this period, the city witnessed the establishment of an advanced healthcare system, exemplified by the development of bimaristans (teaching hospitals) that provided medical services free of charge. These institutions included specialized departments in internal medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, and pharmacy. They also adopted medical record-keeping systems and required physicians to undergo examinations before being authorized to practice medicine.
The lecture further reviewed the contributions of prominent figures in medicine and the sciences, most notably Abu Bakr al-Razi (Rhazes), who laid important foundations for clinical medicine based on observation and experimentation, and Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen), a pioneering scholar in optics and the study of the anatomy of the eye. It also highlighted the leading scholarly role of the House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikmah) in translating medical works and advancing scientific methodologies.
The workshop aimed to enhance historical and civilizational awareness among the College’s academic and administrative personnel, reinforce the concept of cultural identity associated with the city of Baghdad and its role in shaping human civilization, and emphasize that coexistence and intellectual diversity have been—and continue to be—fundamental pillars of scientific progress and social development.
The lecture was delivered by Assistant Lecturer Ruaa Badiwi Hamza and attended by a number of the College’s faculty members and staff. The workshop witnessed notable engagement and rich academic discussions, which contributed to deepening its themes and achieving its educational and academic objectives. The event reflected the College’s commitment to integrating the authenticity of its historical heritage with the requirements of the present in its ongoing academic mission.
