Iraq Cultural Health Fund
The Iraq Cultural Health Fund, part of the Healing Arts initiative, addresses the mental health crisis in Iraq with a focus on community participation. It supports programmes for the Marsh Arabs in Southern Iraq and the Yazidi community in Northern Iraq, developed with local NGOs to ensure community ownership. Launched by CULTURUNNERS under the World Health Organisation and the UN's 75th Anniversary Programme, the initiative emphasises cultural healing and representation.
The Yazidi Cultural Archives, which are globally accessible and available in English and Arabic, comprise four online exhibitions created by 16 Yazidi women working in collaboration with Yazda, a community-led organisation that protects and champions Yazidis and other religious and ethnic minority communities, together with Community Jameel, CULTURUNNERS, the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, and Nobody’s Listening. The archives are published by the UN on the Google’s Arts and Culture platform. An evaluation of the impact of the archives on the psychological wellbeing of participants is being supported by New York University (NYU) Arts and Health initiativeand the World Health Organisation (WHO) Arts and Health programme.
'Ark Re-imagined: the Expeditionary Pavilion' – the first-ever Iraqi national participation at the Biennale Architettura in Venice – is a project by artistRashad Salim, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities of Iraq, curated bySafina Projects, and produced by Community Jameel and CULTURUNNERS as piloti del padiglione.
Arab News
Iraq Cultural Health Fund
The Art Newspaper
Iraq Cultural Health Fund
Wired
Iraq Cultural Health Fund