Nineveh, Iraq — In a landmark initiative underscoring the enduring legacy of Assyria’s ancient heartland, Nineveh province has announced plans to establish an international academic research center devoted to the study of heritage, archaeology, and ancient civilizations.

Governor Abdulqadir al-Dakhil  announced the agreement on Wednesday, describing it as a major step in restoring Nineveh’s place as a global center of learning and culture. The new project, launched in collaboration with the TARI Institute for Academic Research and the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures at the University of Chicago (formerly the Oriental Institute), aims to make Nineveh a hub for international scholarship and cultural preservation.

“This initiative represents one of the most important academic milestones in our province’s recent history,” Governor al-Dakhil said. “It will foster collaboration between Iraqi and international experts while creating an advanced environment for research and innovation.”

The decision carries deep symbolic importance for modern Assyrians, whose ancestral roots lie in the very soil of Nineveh, the last capital of the ancient Assyrian Empire and state and one of humanity’s earliest centers of recorded civilization. For many Assyrians around the world, the revival of Nineveh as a site of research and scholarship affirms their historical connection to the land and their contributions to world heritage.

After years of destruction under ISIS occupation (2014–2017), the province has struggled to restore its ancient monuments and rebuild its intellectual and cultural infrastructure. The new center marks a hopeful turning point, linking Iraq’s modern academic institutions with its ancient heritage and inviting scholars from around the world to participate in the rediscovery of a civilization that shaped human history.

For Assyrians today, the initiative is more than an academic development—it is a renewal of memory, a gesture of continuity between the ancient libraries of Ashurbanipal and the modern halls of research soon to rise once again in Nineveh.