MOL Group Sponsors Archaeological Expedition in Kurdistan Region of Iraq
- A joint Hungarian-Kurdish team to explore the historically and touristically significant Kurdish Dwin Castle
- Mission is led by internationally acclaimed archeologists Dr Balázs Major and Dr Zidan Bradosty
- First results of the five year excavation project are already expected in early 2015
Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – 13th November, 2014 – An archaeological concession agreement for the excavation of one of the most important sites of Kurdish history, Dwin Castle and its surroundings, was signed today between Pázmány Péter Catholic University and the Directorate of Antiquities in Erbil.
Prior to today’s signing ceremony, the project has been already approved by the Kurdish Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Municipality and Tourism and the Directorate of Antiquities of Erbil. “We are delighted to sign this agreement today for the excavations of Dwin Castle, which according to local tradition had belonged to Saladin’s family and carries a special significance for the Kurdish people and their national identity. We believe that this project will also greatly contribute to the growing tourism industry of the region.” – said Dr Kaify Ali, the Deputy General Director of the the Kurdistan Regional Government’s General Directorate of Antiquities.
The archeological expedition of Dwin Castle is part of a long term higher education and research cooperation between Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest and the Salahaddin University in Erbil, which aims at exploring the region’s castles dating back to the Middle Ages. Picturesque Dwin Castle is located on the top of a hill 60 kilometers north-east from Erbil in a mountainous area. The excavation team will initially conduct a geodetic survey and a 3D scanning of the perimeter wall and will document the surrounding archeological remains such as buildings and the cemetery.
On behalf of the Hungarian university, the agreement was signed by its archeology department head and expedition leader Dr Balázs Major, who said: “I’m honored to be a part of this important project as the joint Hungarian-Kurdish excavation will not only establish important evidence about these historic sites, but it will also contribute to international knowledge sharing among the researchers and to the training of students. I would also like to thank MOL Group for their generous support.”
The signing ceremony was also attended by Szabolcs I. Ferencz, MOL Group Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs, who explained that “We are glad that our excellent relationship with our Kurdish partners is further enhanced through this important cultural initiative and we look forward to hearing about the first results soon. MOL Group was among the first international oil companies to enter Kurdistan Region of Iraq and ever since it has been highly committed to support the Kurdish culture and the development of local communities. Besides the presently signed archaelogical cooperation, MOL Group is proud to launch a joint donation project with our professional partner, the Hungarian Interchurch Aid, to help internally displaced refugee families in Kurdistan.”
MOL Group has been present in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq since 2007, when its subsidiary MOL Kalegran signed a contract for Akri-Bijeel Block as operator and farmed into Shaikan as minority partner. Ever since, MOL Group’s commitment to local communities has been demonstrated by various projects such as the construction of schools, community centers, roads, sport facilities as well as support for educational projects and humanitarian causes.