Athens: Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities, Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani, met with Greek Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, on the sidelines of his representation of Iraq at the Ninth Ministerial Meeting of the Forum of Ancient Civilizations held in Athens.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the two sides discussed prospects for cultural cooperation between Iraq and Greece and ways to develop bilateral partnerships to protect and preserve the rich cultural heritage of both countries and enhance the exchange of expertise in the fields of archaeology and heritage.

The Ministerial meeting addressed several key topics and resulted in the “Athens Declaration,” which included a number of recommendations, most notably reaffirming the commitments made in previous sessions and solidifying the Forum’s role as an international platform for promoting intercultural dialogue and the exchange of accumulated knowledge of ancient civilizations.

The participants expressed their concern about the escalating targeting of cultural property during armed conflicts, stressing that these violations pose a serious threat to the shared identity of peoples. They called for urgent international action to support affected countries and protect their heritage from attacks.