Advocacy and Capacity Building
Cultural Heritage Awareness Campaign: Through the distribution of literature, lectures and personal briefings, we promote cultural heritage awareness to U.S. and foreign audiences. We highlight the need for sensitivity to archaeology sites and adherence to local and international antiquities laws. Our in-house designed posters can be found at Army Post Offices throughout Iraq, and serve as a reminder that Iraqi artifacts are off limits to all personnel. The Emergency Red List of Iraqi Antiquities at Risk brochures produced with USG funding are printed in Arabic and English and distributed to all ports of entry and border crossings. The Future of Babylon Project tri-fold brochure printed in Arabic and English highlights the support the USG provides to that ancient site. We also present at international archaeological conferences in order to promote awareness of the embassy’s support of cultural heritage programming. Presentations have been given annually at the Archaeological Institute of American’s meetings since 2009, and the World Archaeology Conference since 2010. [Photo Gallery]
Media Outreach: We engage with Western and Arabic media outlets on a regular basis to discuss cultural heritage issues. Since 2007 we have been providing background information and interviews to newspapers, magazines, television, radio and web-based media, and have filmed four public service announcement spots that air on American Forces Network stations. [Photo Gallery]
International Working Groups: We meet with representatives from foreign embassies and other international agencies to participate in working groups to discuss and collaborate on cultural heritage projects. A Babylon Committee focuses specifically on the ancient site of Babylon, while subject matter experts from international universities are invited to participate in discussions about support and cooperation. In addition, we serve as liaisons for other agencies at the embassy such as the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Major Crimes Task Force, and the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The intervention of these agencies has resulted in the establishment of strong Iraqi/American law enforcement relationships and the return of stolen Iraqi antiquities from the United States and within Iraq. [Photo Gallery]
Archaeological Site Assessments: We partner with Iraq’s antiquities experts to assess current conditions at archaeological and historical sites throughout the country. The assessments help us understand the needs of the sites and staff that look after them. We are able to better propose training programs and workshops that address conditions based on our findings. The training for staff as part of ICHP is a consequence of some of our past assessments. [Photo Gallery]
Professional Development Support: We facilitate the distribution of literature and equipment donations from international institutions. The Library of Congress donated digitization equipment to the Iraq National Library and Archives, Archaeology Magazine and the British Institute for the Study of Iraq donated magazines and books to the Iraq National Museum and the Iraq National Library and Archives and the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield donated signs designated as cultural heritage protection icons to be posted at sites across Iraq. [Photo Gallery]
International Visitors Leadership and Exchange Programs: As part of the Department of State’s educational programming, we have facilitated participation for 23 Iraqis in museum, library and various cultural heritage International Visitors Leadership Programs in the United States, with more programs slated for 2011. The programs connect Iraqi cultural heritage specialists with universities and organizations in the United States for three weeks or longer, in order to share ideas and experiences. Our Iraqi colleagues return from the programs with enthusiasm to implement what they have learned at their home institutions. We also encourage students and State Board of Antiquities and Heritage personnel to submit applications for our Fulbright Foreign Student program, which offers opportunities for Master's degree study in the U.S. to 35 Iraqi students per year. As of today, there is one SBAH Fulbright Scholar earning her Maters in Museum Studies at a university in the states. We hope to see more applicants from the field of cultural heritage in the coming years. (Read more about Embassy Exchange Programs)