Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, arrived in Mosul to voice his commitment to the city‘s renewal. During his visit, PM Al-Kadhimi toured the Al-Nouri Mosque Complex and Al-Tahera Church to witness the progress that has taken place on site, in the framework of the UNESCO project to Revive the Spirit of Mosul, supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The battle for Mosul left behind an estimated 8 million tons of rubble and destroyed prominent historical landmarks. Al-Nouri Mosque and Al-Tahera Church were left destroyed. The Prime Minister could witness the progress made and get a firsthand briefing of the challenges ahead.
The Prime Minister was welcomed by UNESCO Representative to Iraq, Paolo Fontani, the local government, Sunni Waqf and SBAH, actively involved in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the historic landmarks of Mosul. His Excellency thanked UNESCO and its partners for their efforts in restoring historic landmarks in Mosul. he added, “construction began, and smiles have returned to the face of the Moslawis, with hope and optimism in building a bright future for all Iraqis”.
This rebuilding of historic landmarks is made possible with the generous support of the United Arab Emirates and coordinated work with the Government of Iraq, local partners and international experts. It is being undertaken as a major part of UNESCO’s Initiative to Revive the Spirit of Mosul.
The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, launched the flagship initiative “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” as the Organization’s response for the recovery of one of Iraq’s iconic cities. Reviving Mosul is not only about reconstructing heritage sites, it is about empowering the population as agents of change involved in the process of rebuilding their city through culture and education. It is with a strong message of hope and resistance to Iraq and to the world, a message that an inclusive, cohesive and equitable society is the future that Iraqis deserve, that the “Revive the spirit of Mosul” Flagship Initiative was born. Other donors of the Initiative include the European Union, the Flanders, The Netherlands, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Italy, Latvia and Germany.