On March 20, 2003, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began, marking the start of two decades of transformation—and trauma—for its people. A new documentary from CGTN traces the legacy of the war through the voices of Iraqis, revealing stories of resilience, displacement, and the slow march toward recovery.
\"We wanted to capture what numbers can't show: the human cost,\" said a member of the film crew, which interviewed families in Baghdad, Mosul, and Basra. From rubble-strewn neighborhoods to revitalized markets, the film contrasts scars of conflict with tentative hope. Nearly 300,000 conflict-related deaths and millions displaced since 2003 frame a stark backdrop, yet grassroots efforts to rebuild schools and hospitals hint at progress.
Youth unemployment remains near 25%, and sectarian tensions linger. But tech-driven startups and cultural revitalization projects—like restoring Mosul's historic Al-Nuri Mosque—signal a generation determined to redefine Iraq's future. \"War taught us survival,\" one Baghdad entrepreneur told filmmakers. \"Now we're learning to thrive.\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
