PRESERVING THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF MINORITIES IN IRAQ
PROVINCES
Duhok, Erbil, and Sinjar
LIFE OF ACTIVITY
May 2021 – May 2025
USAID FUNDING
$2 million
IMPLEMENTING PARTNER
Antiquities Coalition with sub-awardees the Catholic Diocese of Mosul, the Centre Numérique des Manuscrits Orientaux (CNMO), the Syriac Heritage Museum in Erbil, and Yazda
OVERVIEW
Between 2014 and 2018, the ruthless campaigns led by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to erase Iraq’s rich cultural and religious history and diversity sent shockwaves across the globe. ISIS destroyed cultural artifacts and sites in northern Iraq, including churches, mosques, shrines, and tombs, as well as museums and libraries. With minority communities fragmented due to years of persecution, safeguarding their traditions is crucial to preserving their heritage, fostering community healing and stability.
GOALS
USAID works with the Antiquities Coalition to train and equip local partners in documenting and digitizing artifacts and traditions. This creates and organizes digital records that are accessible to local, regional, and international audiences. Online platforms also facilitate the identification and repatriation of missing objects. Preserving cultural heritage and sharing it with a broader audience engenders respect for diversity and the inclusion of minorities throughout society.
IMPACT
- Three local CSOs (Yazda, Syriac Heritage Museum, and CNMO) are skilled in cultural preservation techniques.
- Over 4,663 manuscripts covering more than 800 years of history in northern Iraq have been digitized.
- Three videos document historical sites and 40 videos record oral heritage, religious practices, and stories of the Yezidi community in Iraq.
- Over 800 youth participated in the relaunch of the Ray of the Sun program, an educational project to preserve Yezidi cultural heritage in Sinjar.
