by Jamal Hashim, Xinhua writer Gao Shan

    BAGHDAD, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Intoxicated by the lingering scent of flowers, Baghdad citizens are enjoying a magnificent view of the Zawraa Park covered with a carpet of blossoming flowers, arranged in lines by their different types and colors.

    Contrasting with the concrete walls riddled by bullets and armed soldiers with automatic weapons on alert, the first week-long international flower festival highlights a hope of peace of Iraqis.

    "We plant flowers. We plant hope," people are touched by the emotional words of banners put up in the beautiful flower zone by local government.

    Another banners read as "A flower from Baghdad is a message of love to the people all over the world."

    The war-torn country is keen to show the world that the peace is flourishing in their country after years of chaos and bloodshed.

    The Iraqi government kicked off its first flower festival on Wednesday in the massive Zawraa Park, located near the Saddam Hussein presidential complex which is known as the Green Zone after the U.S. invasion.

    The flower zone, which occupied some 50,000 square meter from the roughly 10-square-km park, was held under the banner of "Baghdad is the city of flowers and peace," with participation of more than 12 foreign countries along with the 18 provinces of Iraq and all Baghdad municipalities.

    "It is a new day in Baghdad" as "the city is showing its flowers this time thanks to improvement in security and the efforts by Baghdad mayoralty that rendered such vast area in Zawraa Park to a marvelous place of colorful flowers," Rafie al-Essawi, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister said in his speech in the opening ceremony of the festival.

    He called on the people of Baghdad "to visit this beautiful spot of flowers which says that Iraqis have shifted the priorities from the security concern to the rebuilding concern."

    Since 2008, violence in Iraq has dramatically dropped to lowest levels since the invasion in 2003. The Iraqi government is trying to offer repeated assurances that everything is almost in place for a smooth transition after the beginning of U.S forces.

    "We want to send a message that Iraq has recovered and is interested in love and peace with all the nations of the world," Hakim Abdul Zahra, spokesman of Baghdad mayoralty told Xinhua.

    "We want to tell the world that the Iraqi people had enough of violence and want to smell flowers instead of explosive powder," Zahra said.

    But a new wave of deadly bombings struck Iraqi cities recently, raising fears that Iraq could again go back to earlier stages of chaos and bloodshed.

    The recent bombings targeted U.S. soldiers, Iraqi security forces and civilians in the areas of the capital Baghdad and several northern regions, including Mosul, Babel and Diyala, claiming the lives of hundreds of Iraqis, along with U.S. soldiers.

    Some 18 Iraqi soldiers were killed and more than 50 were injured on Thursday and 10 Iraqi policemen were killed and 23 others were injured on Wednesday in the latest violence.

    To celebrate the flower festival, groups of Iraqi children wearing colorful clothes like the colors of the roses are singing songs saying "with colors of roses we write your name, Baghdad. We plant love and kindness in our adored Baghdad."

    The Iraqi government has promised that it will be annual tradition that Iraqis will celebrate the flower festival so that the city would attract foreign investors to rebuild the war-torn country after recent security gains.

    However, foreign companies and businessmen are still cautious and have been slow to return to the country.

    "It is important to tell the world that Iraq is no more a war zone and that businessmen have to come back so we can see Baghdad as the center of civilization and stability as ever known in the world," Muhammed al-Shaabani, head of the Syrian delegation to the festival, told Xinhua.

    As Iraq awakens from a year-long nightmare of war and sectarian violence, many Iraqis are thrilled by the latest signs of newfound normality: colorful followers.

    Iraqis at the celebration said that Baghdad wants to tell the world that the aroma of flowers is stronger than the powder which prevailed in the past years.

    "The festival is the reflection of people's desirability to heal the trauma of war and to pursue the lasting peace of the war shattered homeland," said Azar Garllabul, a young mother with her daughter visiting the park.

    "It is a sign of attention of Iraq government to cultural values," said Dr. Hussan Amin, a retired professor of Baghdad University.

    "Colorful flowers give us a hope of peace in the heart and a boosting of confidence of beautiful life in the future," added the professor.