Beirut: The Head of Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, Ali Obeid Shalgam, announced Iraq’s desire to strengthen cooperation with Lebanon in the fields of archaeology and museum work, emphasizing the importance of building effective partnerships based on knowledge exchange and joint collaboration.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, this statement came during an official visit by a delegation from the Iraqi Ministry of Culture to Beirut. The delegation included the Director General of the State Department of Museums, Lama Yass Al-Douri, along with several specialists. They visited the National Museum of Beirut and the Gemstone Museum, where they held a series of meetings with Lebanese officials in the fields of antiquities and museums.

Shalgam stated, ‘The region has faced many harsh circumstances, but with the cooperation of our brothers, we can start anew and develop a shared vision to advance archaeological fieldwork and museum practices based on modern standards and supported by both local and international expertise.’ He added, ‘Antiquities are the historical imprint of nations and deserve our utmost attention and development.’

For her part, Al-Douri praised Iraq’s rich archaeological heritage, describing it as ‘a great cultural asset,’ and called for greater efforts to invest in and develop Iraq’s museum sector.

Shalgam also emphasized the need to support creative and passionate young people working in the field of archaeology, stating, ‘The future of Iraq’s archaeological sector lies in the hands of these youth. By guiding their innovative ideas with our accumulated experience, we can collectively shape a new model for museum work in the country.’