The Governor of Anbar Discusses with the Director General of the Department of Public Museums the Revitalization of Cultural Heritage and the Completion of Procedures for the Return of the Anbar Museum’s Artifacts

The Governor of Anbar, Engineer Omar Mash'an Dabous, received Ms. Lama Yas al-Douri, Director General of the General Directorate of Public Museums, to discuss ways to strengthen joint cooperation in the fields of archaeology and heritage, and to follow up on procedures related to the revitalization of the Anbar Museum, in a manner that reflects the province’s civilizational and historical significance and enhances its cultural role at the national level.

The governor emphasized that reviving the cultural heritage of Anbar Governorate is one of the local government’s main priorities, as it serves as a fundamental pillar in strengthening the governorate’s cultural identity and supporting sustainable development by investing in heritage and archaeological sites as cultural, tourist, and economic resources.

The meeting focused on finalizing the procedures for transferring the Anbar Museum’s collection—currently housed in the capital, Baghdad—to its permanent location in the province. It also addressed the requirements for operating the museum and preparing it to receive its collection and visitors in accordance with modern museum standards, thereby ensuring its reopening in a manner befitting Anbar’s history and cultural heritage.

The two sides also discussed the development of specialized training programs to train local personnel in the fields of museum management, collection conservation, documentation, and museum education, as well as the implementation of a digital cataloging project for the collections and the application of the latest documentation and conservation methods, in line with international standards in museum management.

The meeting addressed the launch of cultural, educational, and community programs that contribute to strengthening the role of the Anbar Museum as a cultural and knowledge center, while also emphasizing the importance of highlighting its identity as a museum through modern exhibition methods that reflect the province’s cultural and historical depth.

The two sides also discussed beginning planning for the new cultural city project in Anbar Governorate, with the new cultural museum set to be one of its most prominent components. This will promote cultural tourism and make the governorate a cultural destination that attracts visitors and researchers, in line with the local government’s vision of making culture and heritage one of the drivers of development.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the participants emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in the fields of archaeology and cultural heritage and expanding cultural and scientific partnerships, including supporting opportunities for cooperation with international archaeological institutions and missions—such as the scientific and cultural partnerships between Iraq and Germany—in a way that contributes to the protection and promotion of cultural heritage in accordance with global best practices.