Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Dr. Ahmed Nayef Al Dulaimi Gives Iraq’s speech at 8th Ancient Civilizations Forum

The Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry Dr. Ahmed Nayef Rashid Al-Dulaimi, led the delegation of the Republic of Iraq, participating in the 8th Ministerial Meeting of Ancient Civilizations Forum, which was held in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, Chaired by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan

Undersecretary Al-Dulaimi gave Iraq’s speech, in which he conveyed the greetings of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mr. Fuad Hussein, and commended the Republic of Armenia for hosting the forum and its efforts in promoting the common cultural heritage, stressing the importance of drawing wisdom from ancient civilizations to address the increasing global challenges, such as geopolitical tensions, climate change, and food and energy crises.

The Undersecretary underlined the need to promote dialogue among civilizations as an effective way to end conflicts and build peace, noting that Iraq as one of the founders of the forum, will continue to work with member states to ensure the development of the forum and the achievement of its goals, He also referred to the importance of combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property, calling for enhancing cooperation between member states to provide protection for cultural heritage, which represents the memory and identity of peoples.

Dr. Al-Dulaimi proposed a number of initiatives, including promoting sustainable tourism involving religious tourism to support the economy and protect cultural sites, in addition to enhancing international cooperation to combat illicit trafficking in antiquities, and increasing allocations to the UNESCO World Heritage Fund to support threatened cultural sites, and developing cultural exchange programs to enhance mutual understanding between peoples.

The Undersecretary stressed that Iraq, with its rich cultural heritage, believes that this forum represents an effective platform for enhancing international cooperation to preserve cultural heritage and achieve regional and global stability.

In addition to Iraq, the forum was attended by Armenia, Greece, Egypt, China, Iran, Bolivia, Italy, and Peru.

On the sidelines of the forum, the Undersecretary and the participating delegations visited the Armenian National Museum, where they were briefed on the most prominent artifacts that embody Armenia’s ancient history, stressing the importance of enhancing cultural cooperation between member states.

The delegation of the Republic of Iraq included the Acting Head of the Media Department Dr. Fuad Ghazi, the Chargé d’Affairs in Yerevan Ali Abdul Karim Atiwi, and the Assistant Head of the Organizations Department Muthanna Kamel Saleh.