- Title: Coronavirus forces Basra children to celebrate Garangao festival indoors
- Date: 10th May 2020
- Summary: BASRA, IRAQ (MAY 9, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHILDREN DRESSED UP AND DANCING TO MUSIC IN DECORATED TENT ERECTED IN COURTYARD VARIOUS OF CHILDREN CARRYING DISHES OF SWEETS ON TOP OF THEIR HEADS AND SWAYING TO MUSIC VARIOUS OF SPONSOR OF GARANGAO FESTIVAL AND OWNER OF HOUSE, KHALID RAHEEM, DISTRIBUTING SWEETS TO CHILDREN
- Embargoed: 24th May 2020 15:04
- Keywords: Basra COVID-19 Garangao Iraq Ramadan coronavirus
- Location: BASRA, IRAQ
- City: BASRA, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001CDCKBPX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Squeezed under a colourful tent, a dozen of Basra children wearing folkloric costumes dance and cheer at the sweets distributed to them by Khalid Raheem, the man who decided that the mid-Ramadan children festival Garangao needed to take place this year too, despite the coronavirus crisis.
Garangao is a children's festival originating from the Gulf region, celebrated in the middle of the month of Ramadan after fasting hours.
Usually, children randomly gather in Basra's alleys and knock on people's doors in the hope to get sweets in return. Given the current danger posed by the coronavirus pandemic, Raheem decided to organise celebrations indoors for his children and those of friends and relatives.
A local civil society organisation also launched yet another initiative to keep the cherished Garangao tradition alive by accompanying children in the streets with a mini van and a couple of clowns, preventing children to have too much contact with people outside.
Iraq has so far recorded 2,679 cases of coronavirus infections, with 107 deaths, according to a statement issued on Saturday (May 9) by the health ministry.
(Production: Mohammed Aty, Maher Nazeh, Mohammad Katfan, Charlotte Bruneau) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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