The Iraqi embassy in London received a rare Assyrian artifact from the British side on Thursday during the opening ceremony of the Iraqi Cultural Center in the British capital, attended by the Minister of Culture, the Advisor to the Prime Minister for Cultural Affairs, and the Iraqi Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

According to the Prime Minister's media office, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein inaugurated the Iraqi Cultural Center in London and delivered a speech on behalf of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani. He emphasized the importance of this step in leveraging Iraq's cultural heritage and enhancing its international cultural standing.

Additionally, the center represents a symbol of national identity and Iraqi unity, relying on Iraqi intellectuals to introduce Iraq's civilization and history. It also strengthens communication with Iraqis abroad, benefiting from their role in expressing their country's identity.

In a noteworthy step, the Iraqi embassy received a rare artifact, an Assyrian tablet dating back to between 883 and 859 B.C. It represents the upper part of a winged genie that adorned the northwest palace at the Nimrud archaeological site. The artifact weighs 333 kg, measures 115 cm in height on the right side and 110 cm on the left, with a width of 110 cm and a thickness ranging from 11 to 12 cm.

This step is part of the Iraqi government's efforts to recover smuggled Iraqi artifacts and enhance Iraq's cultural presence on the international stage.