The Ambassador of the State to the Republic of France and the Permanent Representative of the State to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Ali Abdullah Al-Ahmad, stressed the importance of the project of restoring ancient monuments in the city of Mosul, the most important of which is the Al-Nuri Mosque and its minaret Al-Hadba, noting that it constitutes a cultural wealth and a historical heritage of human civilization , And not only Muslims.
Al-Ahmad said, in an interview with French Radio Monte Carlo, that the project started in 2018, within the plans to revive the city of Mosul, and there is a steering committee consisting of about 16 members, representing the Iraqi government and the relevant authorities in Iraq, in addition to «UNESCO» and experts, pointing out that The project goes through several stages, which are carried out in coordination between UNESCO and the Emirates, represented by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, as well as the Iraqi government.
He explained that the project also includes the restoration of two churches: the Church of the Hour and the Church of Our Lady, noting that the Church of the Hour is one of the most famous churches in the city, and was built in the late 19th century, and is considered part of the history of Iraq. On the possibility of expanding this project, whether in Iraq or the Arab region, he said that this project was on the initiative of «UNESCO», and the organization naturally welcomes any initiative that preserves the human heritage in many regions. He stressed that the Arab countries abound with centuries of coexistence between all religions, pointing to the Emirati model of coexistence, as the country includes more than 45 churches, in addition to the temples of religions and other sects. He explained that the UAE has presented many messages of coexistence and tolerance between all religions, which was evident during the visit of Pope Francis, the Pope of the Catholic Church to the state, and the holding of a mass in the presence of 120 thousand non-Muslims. On the effects of the “Corona” crisis on the cultural scene, Al-Ahmad Ali Abdullah Al-Ahmad said that this crisis naturally affected the cultural movement, but there were many positives, such as: Increasing virtual visits to museums and cultural sites around the world.