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BASRA, Iraq - The warm hospitality that the people of Basra have shown has astonished guests who have come from seven other Arab countries to the southern port city of Iraq to watch the Gulf Cup matches currently taking place there.
Kazim Sarayf, chief of the Sarayf tribe in Basra receives more than 200 supporters, figures, and officials of the Gulf countries in Basra, providing them with free accommodation and food every day.
"First of all, we are doing all this without expecting anything in return. Warm hospitality is part of the Arab tradition. We are here to welcome everyone. Bravery and hospitality are part of Arab culture and we receive guests over and over every day," Saraf told Rudaw.
The guests are from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Yemen as their national teams are involved in the tournament.
Sheikh Kazim has so far butchered 600 lambs and 50 camels for his guests. He says his door will be open for Gulf guests until the end of the tournament.
The only time Iraq hosted the Gulf Cup was in 1979, from which the Iraqi team emerged victorious.
Despite the country’s constant state of political instability and disunity, the Iraqi population’s special connection to the sport of football has managed to unify the people at times of major regional and international tournaments, coming to the support of the national team regardless of their humble results.
The tournament was initiated on January 6 and will run until January 19. Basra had been selected to host three previous editions of the Gulf Cup since 2010 but the venue was changed each time due to concerns that Iraq was not safe enough.
Kazim Sarayf, chief of the Sarayf tribe in Basra receives more than 200 supporters, figures, and officials of the Gulf countries in Basra, providing them with free accommodation and food every day.
"First of all, we are doing all this without expecting anything in return. Warm hospitality is part of the Arab tradition. We are here to welcome everyone. Bravery and hospitality are part of Arab culture and we receive guests over and over every day," Saraf told Rudaw.
The guests are from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Yemen as their national teams are involved in the tournament.
Sheikh Kazim has so far butchered 600 lambs and 50 camels for his guests. He says his door will be open for Gulf guests until the end of the tournament.
The only time Iraq hosted the Gulf Cup was in 1979, from which the Iraqi team emerged victorious.
Despite the country’s constant state of political instability and disunity, the Iraqi population’s special connection to the sport of football has managed to unify the people at times of major regional and international tournaments, coming to the support of the national team regardless of their humble results.
The tournament was initiated on January 6 and will run until January 19. Basra had been selected to host three previous editions of the Gulf Cup since 2010 but the venue was changed each time due to concerns that Iraq was not safe enough.
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