Baghdad:Today, the Mandaean Sabean community celebrated the Festival of Prosperity (*Dehwa Hanina*), with official congratulations and participation from various segments of Iraqi society. Representatives of the community emphasized that this occasion embodies themes of renewal, the triumph of light over darkness, and the promotion of love and coexistence. They expressed appreciation for the government’s attention to their religious holidays and observances, while also calling for the strengthening of their rights, greater participation in state institutions, and the preservation of their distinct religious and cultural identity.

According to Iraqi News Agency, Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi extended his congratulations to the Mandaean Sabean community and to the head of their faith, *Rishama* Sheikh Sattar Jabbar Al-Helu, on the occasion of the Festival of Prosperity (*Dehwa Hanina*). In a post on the platform X (formerly Twitter), monitored by the Iraqi News Agency, Al-Zaidi stated “We congratulate our fellow Iraqi Mandaean Sabeans, and the head of the faith, *Rishama* Sheikh Sattar Jabbar Al-Helu, on the arrival of the Festival of Prosperity, *Dehwa Hanina*.”

He further added that he wishes them a continued life of dignity within the unified nation, recognizing them as an ancient and active component of Iraq’s diverse social fabric.

Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency, Al-Helu explained “Today, the Mandaean Sabeans celebrate the Festival of Prosperity and Growth. It symbolizes the beginning of the earth’s flourishing—its growth, its turning green, and the flowing of its waters—all of which occurred by the command of the ‘Great Living One’ during the creation of Adam and Eve.”