With its KHAN AL FAN project, the Goethe-Institut Iraq is promoting 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 is 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 are being developed in a wide range of formats. The aim is both to strengthen the cultural and creative industries throughout Iraq and to promote international networking.
In addition, a creative studio has been newly opened in the former tobacco factory in the city of Sulaymaniyah. This creative studio offers a perfect working atmosphere in which creative individuals and designers can 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 promote international exchange. The KHAN AL FAN project supports the establishment of a certified design course in Iraq.
The project “Cultural and Creative Industries” is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut. It improves employment and income opportunities for creative professionals in six partner countries; Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa and operates 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 aims to strengthen the framework conditions and the ecosystem of the cultural and creative industries.