Sulaimaniyah: A camera that fell silent, no longer taking pictures, now serves an even greater purpose. The Kamran Museum documents the memory of journalism and preserves the stories of the field. In the heart of Sulaimaniyah, a city in northern Iraq known for its rich cultural and journalistic history, lies a small museum dedicated to preserving the memory of Kamran Najm, one of Iraq’s most prominent photojournalists. Kamran Najm became a symbol of truth and sacrifice after his disappearance in 2014 while covering a battle.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Kamran Museum is not just a collection of artifacts but a space that immortalizes the essence of photojournalism and the life of a journalist who used his camera to capture events and tell stories that words often cannot convey. Situated within the Metrography Agency building, the museum features tools and equipment associated with Kamran’s work, including cameras, computers, bags, and personal effects from his journalistic career.

Kamran Na
jm, who began his career in 2003, collaborated with international media organizations, and his photographs were published worldwide. He vanished on June 12, 2014, while documenting the conflict between Peshmerga forces and ISIS militants near Kirkuk. The museum’s collection, therefore, provides invaluable insights into the life of a field journalist and highlights the risks faced by those in pursuit of truth in conflict zones.

The Kamran Museum’s significance extends beyond commemorating a single journalist; it serves as a model for preserving the history of the journalism profession through its tools and practitioners. Items like the camera, computer, and bags that accompanied Kamran are transformed into documents that narrate an entire era in Iraqi journalism and photography. The museum’s association with Metrography, co-founded by Kamran, underscores its importance in fostering the development of photojournalism in Iraq and connecting local photographers with international media.

Kamran’s legacy continue
s through initiatives like the Kamran Awards, launched by Metrography in 2022 to support journalism and long-term journalistic projects, ensuring that his professional mission lives on. In today’s media landscape, where images are critical to news production, the Kamran Museum stands as a testament to the intersection of journalism and history. Each preserved artifact serves as a reminder of the journalists who risked their lives to capture and convey the truth.

The Kamran Museum also serves an educational purpose, introducing new generations of journalists to the history of photojournalism, its evolving tools, and the role of visual documentation in shaping collective memory. By telling the story of Kamran Najm, the museum offers a window into the history of field journalism and the essential role of photojournalists in documenting events, with the image serving as a witness to history.

Recently, the museum welcomed a high-level delegation from UNESCO and a group of journalists specializing in media and hu
man rights in Iraq. The delegation, received by Ahmed Najm, included notable figures such as Diaa Thabet from UNESCO in Iraq and Bashir Ali, UNESCO Advisor in the Kurdistan Region. They emphasized that the museum is a center for advocating the rights and justice of journalists who have been forcibly disappeared while reporting the truth, using Kamran Najm’s case as a poignant symbol of the dozens of missing journalists in Iraq.