On the occasion of World Tourism Day, which falls on September 27, the Department of Archaeology – College of Arts and Humanities organized a cultural symposium titled “Sustainable Tourism in Iraq.” The symposium addressed three main themes:
1. Preservation of Intangible Heritage in Iraq – presented by Asst. Prof. Dr. Angham Salim Al-Dulaimi, Head of the Department of Archaeology. She discussed ways to preserve Iraq’s intangible heritage through crafts, social practices, and traditional environmental systems.
2. Development of Religious Tourism in Iraq – presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Farhan Al-Bakri, who discussed strategies for developing and enhancing religious tourism in Iraq as an important sector of the national economy.
3. Sustainability of Archaeological, Heritage, and Historical Sites and Their Role in Promoting Tourism – presented by Asst. Prof. Dr. Fawziya Mahdi Al-Maliki, who explored methods for sustaining Iraq’s archaeological, heritage, and historical sites and their impact on boosting tourism.

The symposium highlighted the importance of tourism in strengthening the national economy and promoting sustainable development, as well as raising awareness about the significance of preserving Iraq’s cultural and natural heritage. It also emphasized the need to develop tourism infrastructure, enhance tourism security, and promote Iraq as a distinguished tourist destination in the region — reaffirming the vital role of tourism in economic growth and sustainable development.