Iraq's Sabean-Mandaean community celebrates religious holiday

STORY: Iraq's Sabean-Mandaean community celebrates religious holiday DATELINE: May 19, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:07 LOCATION: DOHUK, Iraq CATEGORY: SOCIETY/CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the celebration 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): FAIZA DIAB, Vice President of Mandaean Culture Association STORYLINE: Dozens of Sabean-Mandaeans, a small ethno-religious minority in Iraq, performed a golden baptism ceremony in the Upper Zab River in the Kurdistan region of Iraq on Wednesday. It is considered one of the holiest holidays for the followers of the Mandaean religion. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): FAIZA DIAB, Vice President of Mandaean Culture Association "Our message to the whole world on this blessed day, which is the golden baptism day, is that the homeland is the homeland of all, and living in love and peace is the message of all the heavenly religions, which call for love and living together, in order to achieve humanitarian goals." The celebrations were canceled in the last two years due to COVID-19. With restrictions of the