UNESCO celebrates Mosul’s liberation by delivering 100th renovated heritage house
One of the heritage houses in Mosul, Iraq. Photo: UNESCO
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Marking the 6th anniversary of Mosul’s liberation from the grip of ISIS, UNESCO officially delivered heritage house number 100, labelling it a significant milestone in its work to restore the historic part of the city, according to a statement issued by UNESCO.
The statement revealed that as part of its flagship initiative ‘Revive the Spirit of Mosul,’ UNESCO launched in 2020 the rehabilitation of 124 historical houses within the Old City of Mosul, which suffered severe damage during the recent conflict.
The statement elaborated that this project was made possible through generous financial support from the European Union and fruitful collaboration with the Iraqi Ministry of Culture and local authorities.
The reconstruction of these houses was done according to the highest heritage standards, using traditional techniques and traditional materials, so that this exceptional heritage of Mosul can once again be transmitted from generation to generation, according to the statement.
Restoring these heritage houses also means creating jobs for 4710 workers and craftsmen. UNESCO provided training to local workers in various methods of rehabilitating heritage buildings, as mentioned in the statement.
The statement indicated that 1568 local job seekers were involved in the rehabilitation process in partnership with the Ministry of Labor.
The statement elaborated that the rehabilitation of the 24 remaining houses is on track and they will be delivered to their owners by the end of this summer.
The statement added that this successful project in Mosul has been extended to Basra in southern Iraq, where UNESCO is currently restoring 11 historic houses in coordination with the local authorities.