With its KHAN AL FAN project, the Goethe-Institut Iraq promoted the emerging market of cultural and creative industries, the entrepreneurial and political perception of the sector, and the development of employment prospects in Iraq.
KHAN AL FAN focused primarily on design in the creative industries and pursues a sustainable approach in the continuing education of designers and operators of creative spaces.
In close cooperation with our partners Organization of Culture and Sustainable Development (OCSD), Culture Factory, Paia Agency and X-Line Youth Council in Sulaymaniyah, annual network meetings, continuing education, mentoring and train-the-trainer programmes were developed in a wide range of formats. The aim was both to strengthen the cultural and creative industries throughout Iraq and to promote international networking.
In addition, a creative studio was opened in the former tobacco factory in Sulaymaniyah. This creative studio offered a perfect working atmosphere where creative individuals and designers could use workstations with state-of-the-art technology in the areas of print, film, graphics, design and TV, free of charge and under professional supervision.
Regional design residencies in Lebanon and Jordan promoted international exchange. The KHAN AL FAN project supported the establishment of a certified design course in Iraq.
The project Cultural and Creative Industries was jointly implemented from late 2018 until early 2023 by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Goethe-Institut on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It improved employment and income opportunities for creative professionals in six partner countries: Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa. The project operated mainly in the music, fashion, design and animation sectors. In addition to promoting the development of entrepreneurial, digital, creative and technical skills through training programmes, the project aimed to strengthen the framework conditions and the ecosystem of the cultural and creative industries.
