Ayoob Dhannoon Younus Al-Faris (born in Mosul, 1992) is an Iraqi cultural heritage activist and researcher, Founder and President of the Mosul Heritage Foundation. Over the past eight years, he has dedicated his work to safeguarding cultural heritage and reviving community identity in post-war Mosul through a range of cultural, developmental, and community-based initiatives.
He founded “Bayt Al-Turath” (Mosul Heritage House) in the Old City of Mosul, which has evolved into a cultural and community center as well as a museum of Mosuli memory, welcoming more than 150,000 visitors within four years. He was also selected by UNESCO as an Ambassador for the “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative from 2022 to 2025. .
Ayoob launched the “Danaber Revolution” initiative following the liberation of Mosul, mobilizing youth volunteers to remove more than 21,000 cubic meters of war debris. The initiative received the “Best Voluntary Initiative in the Arab World” award in 2018 from the Arab Volunteer Union and the League of Arab States. .
He currently works as a researcher within the “Reconfiguring Heritage in Post-Conflict Societies” project in collaboration with the Institute of Development Studies, focusing on the role of heritage in peacebuilding, belonging, and the reconstruction of post-conflict societies. .
In addition, he founded “Manara,” the first heritage hotel in Mosul, aimed at revitalizing traditional houses and transforming them into a cultural and tourism experience reflecting the city’s identity. He also co-founded the “Ta’thir Content Creators Forum,” which promotes meaningful digital content and strengthens the presence of heritage and cultural identity in digital media. .
In 2026, he was awarded the ICESCO–Azerbaijan (Natavan) Heritage Excellence Award in the individual category, in recognition of his contributions to safeguarding Mosul’s heritage and promoting the role of communities in protecting cultural identity.
