UNESCO and KAR Back World Heritage Sites Project in Erbil

The Erbil Citadel, in the heart of north Iraq, is widely believed to be one of the oldest places on Earth where people have lived continuously. With its countless years of heritage and cultural significance built into it, the Erbil Citadel reflects generations of life and civilisation in the region.

As part of an ongoing effort to preserve Iraq’s cultural heritage, UNESCO has announced that the ‘Reviving the World Heritage Site of Erbil Citadel’ project is now underway. The project, funded by KAR New Ventures Limited (KAR) with a backing of 10 million USD, aims to preserve and promote Iraq’s iconic World Heritage Sites. 

Located in the Kurdish region of Iraq, the Erbil Citadel was granted World Heritage Site status in 2014.
Kurdistan is seemingly at the forefront of Iraq’s sustainable tourism and heritage preservation efforts, enabling them to earn numerous awards such as the British Guild of Travel Writers honouring the Zagros Mountains Trail the International Tourism Award for “Best Wider World Tourism Project” in 2025.

Launched with a signature ceremony in Paris this October, the initiative’s efforts will be focused on restoring key heritage structures within the Citadel, including historical buildings, to improve accessibility and promote cultural engagement. 

The project also aims to boost local economies by engaging in and supporting commercial activity in cafes, local businesses and cultural venues, in accordance with this, training and skills building will be integral to this project, to ensure local artisans and technicians are well equipped in heritage management.

Through this partnership, which will be implemented across the next four years, UNESCO aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Erbil Citadel as a cultural, social and economic hub, targeting broader Sustainable Development Goals. 

Source: UNESCO