The volunteer effort to save what was left of Mosul University library after it was destroyed by IS has renewed hope for the city after more than two years of occupation.
The library once contained hundreds of thousands of ancient documents, including a ninth-century Koran, before it was burned down in a deliberate attempt to erase culture.
Last week's reading festival was the culmination of Mosul Eye and the volunteers' efforts, and was attended by thousands on the grounds of the university.
A celebration of books and reading, music and poetry, Mr Al-Baroodi said the event just months after the city's liberation was proof of the resilience of the Iraqi people and culture.
"We expected a couple hundred people, but it was a big surprise to find no less than 3,000 to 4,000 people. We couldn't count because the audience was so huge," he said.
The library once contained hundreds of thousands of ancient documents, including a ninth-century Koran, before it was burned down in a deliberate attempt to erase culture.
Last week's reading festival was the culmination of Mosul Eye and the volunteers' efforts, and was attended by thousands on the grounds of the university.
A celebration of books and reading, music and poetry, Mr Al-Baroodi said the event just months after the city's liberation was proof of the resilience of the Iraqi people and culture.
"We expected a couple hundred people, but it was a big surprise to find no less than 3,000 to 4,000 people. We couldn't count because the audience was so huge," he said.