Heritage and Ecotourism for Sustainable Development in Iraqi Kurdistan

遗产和生态旅游促进伊拉克库尔德斯坦可持续发展伊拉克库尔德斯坦地区考古、历史和生态遗址特别丰富，具有巨大的遗产旅游和生态旅游潜力。到目前为止，这一潜力还远远没有得到充分开发。虽然来自库尔德斯坦和伊拉克境内的游客更频繁地参观湖泊、瀑布、山脉和森林等自然遗址，但对该地区的遗产遗址的游客关注要少得多。这些遗址包括洞穴、岩石掩体、岩石切割的坟墓、考古丘陵和定居点，以及库尔德斯坦文化首府苏莱曼尼亚等城市的遗产建筑，该项目将集中在这些城市。此外，伊拉克库尔德斯坦的生态和遗产遗址都缺乏对参观这些重要地点的人的信息。该地区的大多数遗产地根本没有现场信息，因此很少有人去参观也就不足为奇了。一些关键地点的交通也存在问题，缺乏合适的道路、游客通道和任何形式的标志。在这个项目中，我们建议在联合国国际可持续发展创意经济年的背景下开始开发苏莱曼尼亚省的文化和自然资产的进程。通过雷丁大学考古系和苏莱曼尼亚古迹和遗产局之间的合作，包括Slemani博物馆，我们将利用英国和伊拉克在遗产、创意、旅游和社会企业部门的专业知识，为当地利益攸关方开发经济机会。我们将共同努力，共同开发和建立：1.该地区遗产和生态旅游工具包2.遗产和生态旅游部门的可利用数字资源3。通过与苏莱曼尼亚省当地社区的深入接触，该项目将为该地区遗产和生态旅游的持续发展建立一个框架。在此基础上，我们的目标是加强地方、国家和国际对该区域遗产和自然资产的参与，同时促进地方可持续经济发展的新机会。

Heritage and Ecotourism for Sustainable Development in Iraqi KurdistanThe Kurdistan region of Iraq is especially rich in archaeological, historical and ecological sites that have enormous potential for heritage tourism and ecotourism. As yet, this potential has been significantly underdeveloped. While tourists from within Kurdistan and Iraq more widely frequently visit such natural sites as lakes, waterfalls, mountains and forests, there is much less tourist attention on the heritage sites of the region. These sites comprise caves, rock shelters, rock-cut tombs, archaeological mounds and settlements, as well as heritage buildings in cities such as Sulaimaniyah, the cultural capital of Kurdistan, where this project will be focused.Furthermore, both ecological and heritage sites in Iraqi Kurdistan suffer from a lack of information for those who do visit these important places. Most heritage sites in the region have no on-site information at all, and it is therefore not surprising that very few people make the effort to visit them. There are also problems with access to some of the key sites, which lack suitable roads, visitor pathways, and any form of signage.In this project, we propose to start the process of developing the cultural and natural assets of Sulaimaniyah province within the context of the UN International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. Through collaboration between the University of Reading Department of Archaeology and the Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage, Sulaimaniyah, including the Slemani Museum, we will draw on UK and Iraqi expertise across the heritage, creative, tourism and social enterprise sectors to develop economic opportunities for local stakeholders. Working together, we will co-develop and establish:1. A toolkit for heritage and ecotourism in the region2. Accessible digital resources for the heritage and ecotourism sector3. Networks of stakeholders centred on local communities who will take ownership of the project's outcomes for future sustainability.Through in-depth engagement with local communities in Sulaimaniyah province, this project will establish a framework for the ongoing development of heritage and ecotourism in the region. On this basis, we aim significantly to enhance local, national and international engagement with the heritage and natural assets of the region while promoting new opportunities for local sustainable economic development.