On 27 April 2024, the Investigator Organization for Supporting Rule of Law and Democracy (IOL), in collaboration with the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), held its first workshop in Erbil, under the title “Preservation of Heritage and Holy Religious Sites.”
The workshop provided a platform for dialogue bringing together government officials, representatives of religious and ethnic communities, legal experts, and archaeologists to exchange perspectives and experiences and discuss concerns related to the existing legal framework.
The discussions focused on the challenges and opportunities associated with laws governing the preservation of antiquities and heritage, the protection of religious sites, as well as the legal frameworks for protecting communities in the Kurdistan Region.
Participants also shared their views and recommendations and discussed mechanisms for strengthening the legal framework and safeguarding holy religious sites and heritage.
The project is being implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs and the General Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage.