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Based on the directives of His Excellency the Prime Minister and his official approval of the recommendations of the first meeting of the Supreme Committee formed pursuant to Diwani Order 241199, an ambitious national initiative was launched entitled:
Historical preservation for sustainable development in Iraq
Historic Preservation for Sustainable Development in Iraq
This is in the presence and sponsorship of a number of official figures and bodies, and in partnership with:
* Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
* Iraqi universities: University of Technology, Middle Euphrates University, Wasit University, University of Kufa
* Iraqi National Intelligence Service
* Caring for the Holy Upper Threshold
* Prime Minister's Office, Supreme Committee for Artificial Intelligence
The project aims to achieve the following:
* Comprehensive economic development through cultural and historical tourism.
* Investing in artificial intelligence and modern technologies to preserve and document cultural heritage.
* Strengthening national identity and reviving Iraqi memory with a modern concept.
* Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030, especially with regard to heritage and culture.
1. The program was launched from the holy city of Najaf as a symbolic and cultural starting point, with subsequent expansion to include:
* All holy shrines
* Cities and archaeological sites throughout Iraq
2. Intelligent digital documentation of heritage sites
* Use of techniques: 3D Scanning, Photogrammetry
* Carrying out these works in cooperation with the General Directorate of Technical Affairs - Iraqi National Intelligence Service
3. Establishing digital laboratories and a smart national museum
* A museum based on artificial intelligence in:
a. Interactive presentation
b. Chronological documentation
c. Digital modeling of impacts
* An architectural design that represents Iraq's cultural and historical identity.
4. Academic and technical cooperation
* The Ministry of Higher Education was contacted to include the project in the 2024 investment budget.
* Establish historical preservation units within participating universities.
* Hold coordination meetings to define roles and integrate research efforts.
5. Establishing a virtual national center for historical preservation
* Work is underway to obtain the approval of the Prime Minister to establish this center.
* The Center constitutes a national visual reference that documents, classifies and archives Iraqi heritage virtually.
6. Integration with the National Data Center
* It was agreed to store all historical documentation data within the servers of the National Data Center.
* Support the plan to establish a national virtual museum that will be available to the public, researchers and institutions.
Based on paragraph 7.9 of the official recommendations, the following committees were formed to begin work:
* Technical Committee: Responsibility for supervising the techniques used in documentation and processing.
* Specialized Technical Committee: Study the technical specifications and equipment necessary for laboratories and the museum.
* Legal and Administrative Committee: Preparing regulatory frameworks, contracts, and guaranteeing intellectual property rights.
* Research Committee: Supporting research, analyzing data, and documenting scientific developments in the field of digital preservation.
* The project was included in the Intelligence Service's 2024 allocations for the purchase of technical equipment.
* The Ministry of Education team began identifying the needs of the universities concerned.
* Coordination has begun with the Al-Hassan bin Al-Haytham Center for Visual Memory to document and present content visually.
* Work is ongoing to prepare the administrative and organizational structure of the virtual national center to be established.
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