On 27 July 2018, the UNESCO Office for Iraq conducted a site visit to Al-Nouri Mosque / Al-Hadba Minaret in the Old City of Mosul, jointly with UNMAS colleagues. The purpose of the joint visit was to conduct a preliminary assessment of the site, in view of the demining operations to be carried out within the UAE-funded project “REVIVE THE SPIRIT OF MOSUL BY REBUILDING ITS MONUMENTAL LANDMARKS. The restoration and critical reconstruction of Al-Nouri Mosque and its Al-Hadba Minaret as a tool to foster social cohesion and community reconciliation”. The mission assessed the rubble resulted from the intentional destruction of the mosque and its minaret, operated by ISIL/Daesh on 21 June 2017, few days before the liberation of the old city. UNESCO and UNMAS team started the identification of the areas suitable for the storage of architectural elements and materials that will be reused for the restoration and reconstruction activities.
© UNMAS/Lorene Giorgis