On Charter Day, the Society of Arts and Letters ratifies its Constitution

BAGHDAD — The AUIB Society of Arts and Letters ratified its Constitution at its Founding General Assembly on Charter Day, Tuesday, October 13, 2026, according to the Society's register of documents.

The Constitution, prepared by the founder and president, Shaheen Farjo, opens with a preamble written for the city: students "in a city that once kept the House of Wisdom and still keeps al-Mutanabbi Street" adopting it "so that our Society is open to every student, governed in the open, careful with people and money, and built to outlast those who founded it."

It sets the Society's mission, "to cultivate a culture of literature and creative expression across AUIB," and its motto, "The paper and the pen," the last two of the things al-Mutanabbi's most quoted line says know him.

Membership is free and open to every enrolled AUIB student. All authority comes from the General Assembly of members, which elects the officers, amends the Constitution by a two-thirds vote with fourteen days' notice, and can remove anyone who abuses a role. A Council of four elected officers and six appointed directors runs the Society between assemblies, meets every two weeks and adopts the budget. Elections are held every April by secret ballot with AUIB sign-in, using ranked choice when more than two candidates stand, and a president may serve at most two terms.

Editors and directors make creative decisions; the Council may overrule a selection only on grounds of law, safety or University policy, and in writing. Spending is capped by level, two people are present at every cash count, and every expense needs a receipt.

The names of those who adopted the Constitution are kept on the Founders' Roll, and Charter Night will mark the anniversary every October.

Waraq is published by the Society of Arts and Letters. Waraq's News Desk compiled this report in October 2026 from the sources below, with the help of an AI writing tool.

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