Mosul is one of the world’s oldest cities. It is Iraq's second city, rich in history, heritage and culture. Its name in Arabic means "the connector", and for good reason. For millennia, this strategic crossing on the Tigris has linked north to south, east to west. Here in antiquity Jews met Assyrians, Romans met Persians at Nineveh, on the east bank of the river. Later, Christians met Muslims, Turks met Arabs in the once-new Old City to the west. Mosul has witnessed many conflicts in its long life, from intellectual battles to military engagements, as well as long periods of peace and harmony. It has had proud eras of political independence, economic prosperity, and intellectual leadership, as well as lows of occupation and repression.
Mosul's extraordinary history is written into the very fabric of the old city. Its museum documents the region's Assyrian and Arab antiquity. Many of its 486 mosques, shrines, and Muslim burial sites date back to the twelfth century, when Mosul was the glorious capital of the Zangid dynasty, renowned for its exquisite metalwork, miniature paintings and silk carpets. The thirty-two churches and six monasteries attest to its vitality as a Christian centre of worship and learning since at least the fourth century AD. The spice market at Bab Al-Saray has received traders and goods from India and China for over a thousand years. The books sold in Al-Nujaifi Street embody the trade in ideas that has flowed through Mosul for since time immemorial. The spirit of survival and innovation, of diversity and co-existence, is at the very core of Mosul's identity. Let us all join together with the people of Mosul to revive this spirit of connection once again.