SPU hosted “The State of Antiquities Management in Kurdistan Region in Light of Iraqi legislation & International Conventions” workshop

On 21st May 2019, the Cultural Heritage Network (CHN) project from the Digital Cultural Heritage (DCH) Research Group of the Research Center of SPU organized a focus group workshop on “The State of Antiquities Management in Kurdistan Region in Light of Iraqi legislation & International Conventions”.

The workshop brought together 10 decision makers, experts, and stakeholders from different disciplines, organizations, sectors, and areas in Kurdistan Region of Iraq (including the Director General of Antiquities in Erbil and directors of other related departments and local museums in Sulaimani, Erbil, and Soran) and one of the CHN’s Co-directors from UK for in-depth discussions and reflections on the state of antiquities management in Kurdistan Region and the relationships with the federal Government in the light of the past and current legislations.

During the workshop, Dr. Saad B. Eskander provided an in-depth overview on historical, institutional, political, and administrative context and factors of antiquities management in Iraq and impact on Kurdistan Region’s antiqutuies management. As part of this overview, he also highlighted the changes in Iraqi antiquities laws, regulations, and legislations and their relationship with the related international conventions. The attendees also provided their insights and opinions on a related questionnaire.

The focused group workshop is part of the data collection methods of one of the five identified studies to be undertaken as part of CHN project research component, which systematically investigate key challenges and opportunities of Cultural Heritage sector in Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

In addition to the collection of informed insights and information for the research, the workshop also generated very productive discussions and concrete plans for expanding the discussions and unifying the ongoing efforts in antiquities management, legislation, and laws in Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The workshop was held on May 21st, 2019 at High Crest Hotel in Sulaimani city and extended from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm.

CHN is generously funded by UCL’s Nahrein Network. The project is jointly directed by the Sulaimani Polytechnic University’s Digital Cultural Heritageand the Universities of Reading and Leicester.