Often called the “Cradle of Civilization,” Iraq was home to ancient Mesopotamian peoples who developed the world’s first writing, agriculture and cities, between 10,000 and 3,000 BCE. Powerful civilizations from the Sumerians to the Neo-Assyrians ruled the region. The Biblical sites of Babylon, Nimrud, and Nineveh are located in modern Iraq.
Today, this history is under threat. Even before the ISIS campaign to destroy cultural heritage, historical sites suffered from neglect brought on by violence and instability over the past 30 years in the region that weakened conservation efforts. In one of the most notorious examples, looters took an estimated 15,000 objects from the Iraq National Museum in the early days of the U.S. invasion in 2003.
These besieged Iraqi sites and artifacts represent world heritage, but they also hold irreplaceable value for local communities. Katharyn Hanson, an archaeologist and Secretary’s Scholar with MCI, recalls how in Erbil “there’s a tradition of dressing up in traditional clothing and going on picnics on the weekends at historical sites. It’s part of the fabric of what people do to continue the sense of who they are.”
Cultural heritage is also a powerful economic driver, and these sites are vital to local economies. Heritage sites can beautify cities, spur infrastructure development, and attract visitors, creating jobs and raising incomes for communities. A blow to heritage can shake whole communities’ livelihoods
