The Directorate of Syriac Heritage and Museum of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s General Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts, in cooperation with the Shlomo Documentation Organization, organized a dialogue session on how to develop and protect the archaeological site of Assur, located in the al-Shirqat district of Salah al-Din Governorate on Monday 28 August 2023, in the hall of the Directorate of Syriac Heritage and Museum in Ankawa.
The session was moderated by Fares Jajjo, former Iraqi Minister of Science and Technology, and Bernard Youssef, Director of Syriac Heritage and the Museum. Dr. Yalda Razmahang, lecturer at the American University of Iraq – Sulaymaniyah and employee of the “American University in Sulaymaniyah Center for Archeology and Cultural Heritage” spoke in the presence of Farouk Hanna, deputy in the Iraqi Parliament and Kaldo Ramzi Oghanna, Director General for Syriac Culture and Arts, as well as a number of people from the al-Shirqat district who are interested in heritage and archeology.
The session discussed mechanisms and means of preserving and developing the antiquities of Assur and giving it the attention it deserves to be a local and international tourist attraction, as well as introducing the younger generations to it and its ancient history.
At the end of the session, the audience was allowed to ask their questions and provide their opinions. The session came out with several recommendations and decisions that will be submitted to the concerned authorities in the Iraqi government.
