The Executive Board of UNESCO approved at its 167th session (decision 9.2) the establishment of the International Coordination Committee for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Iraq.
The Committee, which is under the auspices of the Iraqi authorities, has been created for the coordination of all international activities aiming at safeguarding the Iraqi cultural heritage, as recommended by the Third UNESCO Expert Meeting on the Safeguarding of the Iraqi Cultural Heritage, held in Tokyo on 1 August 2003.
The role of the Committee is to review various ongoing activities in support of national cultural heritage rehabilitation efforts according to priorities set by the Iraqi authorities and to ensure that international assistance is carried out at the highest international standards. The committe is composed of international experts and of representatives of foundations, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations funding or implementing activities for the safeguarding of the Iraqi cultural heritage.
The First Plenary Session of the ICC took place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 24-25 May 2004.
The Second Plenary Session took place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 22-23 June 2005 and was followed on 24 June by a Special Session devoted to the archaeological site of Babylon.
Iraq