During a signing ceremony in Paris on Tuesday, the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced a new program to preserve Erbil’s citadel, funded by a $10 million contribution from KAR New Ventures.
The signing ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris was formalized by UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone and KAR New Ventures CEO Baz Raof Kareem in the presence of UNESCO’s Director-General Audrey Azoulay. Attendees included Safeen Dizayee, the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Department of Foreign Relations, and Iraq’s UNESCO Ambassador Asaad Turki Swari.
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“This new initiative illustrates the strengthening of our cooperation with Iraqi Kurdistan and more generally with Iraq in the preservation of its rich cultural heritage. At the heart of the Erbil Citadel, we will be protecting a major landmark in the region’s history, while reaffirming its central role in contemporary cultural, social, and economic development,” declared Director-General Azoulay.
Attended the signing ceremony of a new @UNESCOIraq initiative to revitalize the Erbil Citadel World Heritage Site, with funding from KAR New Ventures Limited. Thanks to UNESCO, DG @AAzoulay and KAR for their partnership in preserving the historical and cultural legacy of Erbil. pic.twitter.com/etDdZvZS0M
— Safeen Dizayee (@SafeenDizayee) October 15, 2025
“Thanks to UNESCO, DG @AAzoulay and KAR for their partnership in preserving the historical and cultural legacy of Erbil,” Dizayee, posted on X.
As part of the program, key heritage structures within the ancient Erbil Citadel, including historical buildings, will be restored to improve accessibility, enhance the visitor experience, and promote cultural engagement.
Furthermore, the project will also aim to foster economic development within the Citadel by engaging local businesses and entrepreneurs and supporting commercial activities in boutiques, cafes, and cultural venues. Training and skills building will be another important component of the project, ensuring local artisans and technicians are well equipped in heritage management.
Kar Group CEO Kareem in a post on X expressed his appreciation for the work of UNESCO in revitalizing cultural and tourism activity, and enhancing the project’s impact on the community and the local economy.
“Our contribution to this project is a duty toward our heritage and our future; we build even as we preserve, so that our history remains alive and continues to inspire generations to come,” he said.
Yesterday in Paris, we signed a partnership agreement with UNESCO for the project to revive the Erbil Citadel—one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited urban sites—transforming it into a vibrant space for learning, dialogue, and culture. This step, of which we are very… pic.twitter.com/OR1cQrADGd
— Baz Raof Kareem (@bazbarzinji) October 15, 2025
In June 2014, the Erbil Citadel was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing its status as one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world. Historical sources indicate that the citadel has been inhabited for over 6,000 years. Located in the heart of Erbil, it covers 110,000 square meters and includes 506 houses.
Furthermore, since 2019, with support of the EU UNESCO has also implemented a project at the Erbil Citadel to support livelihoods through cultural heritage development, creating jobs, and promoting the sustainable development of heritage assets.
Read More: Ancient Erbil Minaret and Citadel to Undergo Restoration
The Erbil Citadel is currently undergoing renovation under the supervision of KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.
Restoration efforts, carried out in line with international cultural heritage preservation standards, are nearing completion on the citadel’s main street and several alleys. Future plans include opening teahouses, a hotel, and restaurants within the site, the KRG said in January.
