Poland in Iraq

The development project was implemented throughout the 2025.

This project was implemented to strengthen archival capacity in Kurdistan Region through the establishment of a dedicated digitization unit, developed in partnership between the Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture and the Salahaddin University – Cultural and Academic Center. The primary focus of the project was the acquisition of professional digitization equipment needed to preserve manuscripts, rare books, and archival materials held at Salahaddin University. 

Salahaddin University, the oldest public university in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, possesses an outstanding collection of nearly 2,000 rare books and manuscripts, the oldest of which date back to the 16th century. If researched, properly archived, and made available to the public through digitization, they could be used to advance knowledge of Kurdish and Iraqi literature and history. The collection has not yet been properly cataloged, meaning it is, in many cases, inaccessible to researchers. Digitizing the collection will protect it from potential loss and will add significant value to research on contemporary Kurdish history and politics. In addition to the collection of 2,000 valuable manuscripts, the entire Salahaddin University library contains nearly 300,000 items. Unfortunately, due to the lack of a centralized digital catalog, access to the collection remains limited.

With all core equipment now secured, the project is fully prepared to move into its next phase in 2026, which will include installation, staff training, digitization, cataloging, and public access initiatives. These activities will be made possible through the technical capacity enabled by the equipment purchased with the support of “Polish Aid” program.