In 2020, World Monuments Fund (WMF) joined the Mosul Cultural Museum (MCM) Rehabilitation Project, led by an international coalition including the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH), the Musée du Louvre, the Smithsonian Institution, with support from the International alliance for the protection of heritage in conflict areas (ALIPH), to return the museum to the citizens of Mosul and to all Iraqis.

In addition to documentation and restoration, the MCM project includes a focus on cross-cutting community outreach by engaging local residents throughout the museum’s rehabilitation design process to reestablish it as a living center for culture and education.

As Director of the Mosul Cultural Museum, Zaid Ghazi Saadallah plays an important role in these activities, representing the site during educational and social events organized around its rehabilitation. In this interview, Mr. Zaid shares his thoughts on the role of community outreach in the MCM Rehabilitation Project and on how local engagement in the museum’s activities can help it showcase Iraq’s rich culture once more.