Baghdad’s first skatepark set to open next week
- Text by Isaac Muk
- Photography by Make Life Skate Life
The first ever skatepark in Baghdad is set to open next week, on February 1.
Located at the grounds of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the Iraqi capital’s centre, entry will be free-of-charge for the public.
The skatepark has been five years in the making, and is being constructed by the Make Life Skate Life project, in collaboration with Baghdad Skatepark Project, Un Ponte Per, Iraq’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, Suli Skatepark and others.
There will be ramps and obstacles for skaters from beginner to advanced levels, with design being headed up by Austrian company East by West.
Commenting on its opening, Ishtar Obaid of the Olympic Committee said: “We are thrilled to introduce Baghdad’s first skatepark, which will provide a safe and welcoming environment for all our youth to express themselves and engage in mental and physical activity.
“This park represents more than just a place to skate,” she continued. “It symbolises a space for creativity, connection and hope.”
Safeen Mohammed of Iraq’s first skatepark, Suli Skatepark, said: “Skateboarding is not just a sport; it builds community. Finding a place in Baghdad to build a free and public skatepark was incredibly challenging.
“It took more than five years of persistence, but finally the dream of hundreds of skaters living in Baghdad will come true,” he added. “The skateboarding community in Iraq will grow from here.”
You might like
I witnessed the Baghdad bombing that the West is trying so hard to ignore
With my own eyes — In the early hours of Sunday morning, a car bomb in Iraq exploded, leaving in its wake a wave of devastation. The death toll currently stands at 250 lives lost, and it's a number that keeps on rising. Just meters away from the explosion was Ahmed Twaij. This is his story.
Written by: Ahmed Twaij
The concrete haven where skateboarding is just the start
When two friends made plans to restore a derelict skate park by hand, they also set out to reignite a community. The result is a brand new chapter for Hackney Bumps, a DIY sanctuary in the heart of East London.
Written by: Jessica Holland
Dan Lacey: “BMX is forever evolving”
Overground — Steph Pomphrey caught up with the two-wheel legend after his latest meet in east London, chatting about fatherhood, music and action sports within the outdoor industry.
Written by: Steph Pomphrey
The battle for the soul of lockpicking
Under locksport and key — In recent years, breaking locks for fun has grown from a niche hobby into an activity followed by millions of people. As it has matured, so have tensions over who sets the rules.
Written by: Jack Dennison-Thompson
Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters joins team of new Palestinian resistance documentary
Freedom Theatre — Directed by Rishi Pelham, the film spotlights a theatre operating in the Jenin refugee camp.
Written by: Ella Glossop
Just Stop Oil holds first protest in 17 months
No new drilling — Having previously said that it was “hanging up the hi-vis”, the climate activist group has blocked a road outside Parliament to protest Andy Burnham opening the door for new oil and gas extraction licenses in the North Sea.
Written by: Ella Glossop
