In June 2018 World Monuments Fund was awarded a £100,000 grant from the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund to build community capacity and management frameworks for the protection of Amedi, a 2016 World Monuments Watch Site, in Iraqi Kurdistan. Located in the mountainous north of Iraq, Amedi’s ancient citadel is dramatically perched on top of a steep promontory. Archaeological remains, an elaborate medieval city gate, historic buildings, local construction techniques and distinctive community traditions are the cultural hallmarks of this important historic town. The physical, social and economic well-being of Amedi has been threatened by the extended period of conflict in the region. As the region stabilizes, pressure for redevelopment and regeneration has increased and short-term gain will be at the expense of long-term protection, potentially eroding the distinctive heritage of this outstanding place, which is its strongest asset. The basis for our project was to develop a masterplan for the city with the local communities, municipal authorities and Iraqi government, which will form a model for heritage conservation for other small historic towns in the region. In addition, we have trained local authority staff in the delivery and implementation of masterplans.