Iraq Cultural Heritage

Long known as the Cradle of Civilization, Ancient Mesopotamia’s extraordinarily long and rich history now lies in the thousands of archaeological sites and historic buildings of modern Iraq, where cultural heritage is both a source of national pride and a casualty of war and isolation.

WMF’s Iraq Cultural Heritage Conservation Initiative, launched with the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) in 2003 in response to the current conflict, is the major American program working with Iraqis to protect their archaeological and historic sites. We are working closely with the Iraq State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH), which is responsible for the country’s cultural heritage sites and museums.

This Initiative, the first institutional partnership between WMF and GCI, focuses on building Iraqi capacity to protect its cultural heritage and on reestablishing connections between Iraqi professionals and the international conservation community. The program has four main components: advocacy, conservation, training, and the creation of a national information management system that will allow the SBAH to protect sites from looting, new construction, and other threats.

While the situation in Iraq will take years to resolve, this Initiative has already created a unique partnership that gives Iraqis access to their international colleagues, along with the expertise and resources they need.

In December 2007, WMF held a workshop in Amman, Jordan, that drew SBAH archaeologists and conservators who reported on working conditions, gave current assessments of sites and monuments, and listed their priorities. The Iraqis noted that they are using the training provided by the Initiative to survey and document new sites, assess damage, and make decisions about salvage excavations and conservation efforts.

The SBAH continues to count on WMF to advocate for the protection of Iraqi cultural heritage.

If you would like to donate to WMF’s Iraq Cultural Heritage Initiative, please contact WMF’s development office at (646) 424-9594.

Cultural Heritage Sites of Iraq are on the 2008 World Monuments Watch

Learn more (PDFs, requires Acrobat):

The Baghdad Museum: a Casualty of War?

Securing a Future for Iraq's Beleaguered Heritage

This initiative has been supported by The J.M. Kaplan Fund, The National Endowment for the Humanities, UNESCO, and The Annenberg Foundation.