Capacity Building and Community Heritage in Assur, Iraq

This lecture on ‘Capacity Building and Community Heritage in Assur, Iraq’ investigates the role that ideology plays in cultural heritage destruction. The initial research measured the level of attachment of different communities to the world heritage site of Ashur. The first round of research showed that locals in post-ISIL regions are an unappreciated source of protection for heritage. Their attachment to the Ashur suggests that cultural monuments can serve as bridges to unite people of different ethnic backgrounds. The next round of research will investigate how local women and youth can become more involved in the protection of their own heritage in the future.