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Revive the Spirit of Mosul¡±is UNESCO¡¯s most ambitious reconstruction campaign in recent decades. It is based on three pillars: heritage, cultural life and education, as essential drivers for the recovery of Mosul. UNESCO is rebuilding the iconic Al-Nouri Mosque and its Al-Hadba Minaret, Notre-Dame de l¡¯Heure Convent and Al-Tahera Church, heritage houses, the Aghawat Mosque as well as Al-Ekhlas school in the Old City of Mosul.
In the field of culture, UNESCO opened a cultural and creative space and relaunched cultural festivals in reading, music performance and open-air cinema screenings.
In the field of education, in addition to the rehabilitation of classrooms, 91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ launched a vast program to Prevent Violent Extremism through Education (PVE). UNESCO¡¯s Revive the Spirit of Mosul initiative also benefits local women and men through employment opportunities and on-the-job training linked to the restoration and reconstruction of cultural heritage. This is fundamental for building skills and enhancing social inclusion in Iraq at this critical time.

Since 2018, we have been implementing this programme with the support of the United Arab Emirates, the European Union and all of our partners. It is not just a matter of rebuilding the city and restoring its historical heritage, but also of reopening schools and universities and reviving the cultural and intellectual life of the great cultural capital that is Mosul.

Reinstating the Al Nouri Mosque to its rightful place as the main mosque of Mosul is not only an architectural challenge.? it is a symbolic act of revival. This reconstruction aims at reviving the sense of belonging and identity of all Moslawis, and the ethos of Mosul as a centre of multicultural creativity.

In coordination with the Government of Iraq, local partners and international experts, UNESCO started the preparatory phase of the rehabilitation in Autumn 2018. Following the demining operation of the four sites that were extensively damaged due to booby-traps, hazardous materials and unexploded ordinance, started the clearing process: this was more than just the removal of old stones. In fact, amidst the rubble were valuable pieces that could be reused during reconstruction phase. The selection of the valuable building fragments which had to be separated from the rubble had been done under the guidance of international experts and archeology students from the University of Mosul.

A 2020 survey of residents showed that 70% of the people of Mosul wished to see the Al Nouri Prayer Hall rebuilt as it was before but with some improvements. The public wanted assurances that the essential features and main volumes of the structure would be preserved.
UNESCO launched an International Competition for the selection of the design of Al Nouri Mosque. The winners, an Egyptian team of four partners selected in April 2021,and they? developed the final design with with a local partner, the University of Mosul, and many consultations with the Union of Architects/Engineers and local experts.?The final design was approved by the Ministry of Culture and the Sunni Endowment in May, 2022.

Within the Revive the Spirit of Mosul initiative, led by UNESCO in partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the excavations conducted under the Al-Nouri Prayer Hall by the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) have uncovered the remains of the 12-century mosque. A total of four rooms built of stone and plaster were exhumed.

Local experts in the fields of engineering, archeology, architecture and geology participated with international experts and with close cooperation of the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage on the development of the reconstruction project?. UNESCO and the University of Mosul also conducted a survey of people of Mosul on the reconstruction of the Al Hadba minaret. 94% of those surveyed wanted to see the Minaret restored exactly as it was before its destruction in 2017?. The first phase of the reconstruction work included in-depth structural, geological, and archaeological studies. Teams also had to secure, clean, and stabilize the remaining base of the Minaret.

The active phase of reconstruction began in February 2022. The Minaret will be rebuilt entirely with bricks, which has not been done for centuries, and in a leaning shape, which is an extraordinarily complex technical challenge.?? The result is a state-of-the-art project based on the most advanced engineering practices that will guarantee the stability of the monument, while ensuring that materials and construction techniques are compatible.

UNESCO will rebuild the Al-Habda Minaret like it was with the same decorations as the original using 200 thousand bricks made in Iraq.

In September 2020, in close collaboration with Dominican Order and relevant Iraqi authorities, UNESCO launched the preparatory phase for the reconstruction of Al-Saa¡¯a Church. The priority was to secure the site and clear it from unexploded ordnance. It was followed by the preparation of the detailed design for the execution of the works. The final design of the project site was the subject of numerous bilateral consultations with experts and local stakeholders, allowing the designs to satisfy local expectations and generate a sense of local ownership. The active phase of reconstruction started in March 2022.

The rehabilitation of Al-Saa¡¯a Church, along with Al-Tahera Syriac Catholic Church, has so far created more than 1000 jobs in local area exceeding the project¡¯s initial job-creation target, with most activities being conducted by local teams of experts and workers. This has enhanced local opportunities for skills development.

The first step of the rehabilitation of Al-Tahera Syriac Catholic Church, which began in 2019, consisted of removing the remaining parts of its concrete roof which were in danger of collapsing and this process was done with close cooperation of the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage. The 650 m2 site was then demined and temporary stabilized. The workers cleared the rubble and sorted the fragments to recover all the elements of heritage interest. This work was carried out by local contractors, under the supervision qualified experts.

Similarly, to Our Lady of the Hour, Dominican Convent project, Al-Tahera Syriac Catholic Church project has been carried out in line with local community expectations and both cultural and religious history. It will be reconstructed as it was. Design was completed and approved by the Christian Waqf and Minister of Culture of Iraq at end of September 2021. The preparatory works concluded in October 2021. The active phase of restoration and reconstruction started in March 2022.

UNESCO started emergency works to stabilize and consolidate the Al-Aghawat Mosque complex, another Old City¡¯s monument that deserves to be conserved as a significant example of the 18th Century religious architecture in Mosul.? Structural emergency measures were designed and implemented, including scaffolding in the main hall to support the main dome, a propping system to ensure there is stability in the vaults around the collapsed area, as well as the consolidation of the southern wall. By January 2022. this work to safeguard and catalogue the original architectural elements was complete.

UNESCO is restoring and rehabilitating 124 historic houses, with the generous support of the European Union. This intervention is comprehensive and all-encompassing: reconstruction of existing structures, as well as upgrading of electrical network, septic tanks, drainage, road surfacing and public lighting?Prior to the start of the reconstruction works rebuilding, the neighborhood had to be cleared of 2107 tons of rubble and 21 items of unexploded ordnance (UXO).

The reconstruction of 44 heritage houses is already completed. They are being handed over to their owners. The rehabilitation and reconstruction of the 80 additional heritage houses have started in September 2021 and are progressing well. All these works are done using traditional techniques and materials, to preserve the identity of the old town. Heritage and homes reconstruction projects are major employment pools for these trainees: 91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ already created 3,152 jobs since the start of the Initiative - and at least a thousand more are already planned.

91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ launched a professional training programme for adults which associates general education, the study of technologies and related sciences, and the acquisition of practical skills which are relevant to the world of work. The project addresses the problems of a lack of training opportunities and a lack of skills for unemployed youth in Mosul 1,315 trainees were already reached, of which 18% were women. They will graduate in competency-based technical and vocational training in construction throughout the project. 80% of the graduates will join on-site work-based training on rehabilitating historic buildings.

UNESCO is also implementing a training programme with ICCROM and the University of Mosul which responds to the need to re-establish a pool of heritage professionals and craftsmen in Mosul, as well as to ensure their direct involvement in the reconstruction process??.

Al Ekhlaas Primary School has been a fixture in the west side of the Old City of Mosul for nearly 60 years.?In 2016, during the height of hostilities, the school was destroyed, depriving the children of the surrounding communities access to decent education. With the support of the European Union, UNESCO is rebuilding this important school. Students, parents and school administrators contributed their ideas for the design through a consultative process, resulting in the design of the first Child Friendly School, a first of its kind in Mosul.

Reconstruction work is now underway. When it reopens its doors, Al Ekhlaas school will be a space that provides a safe, clean, healthy and protective environment for the children of Mosul.

From traditional music festivals to booksellers on the streets, the spirit of Mosul is made of living heritage and a vibrant cultural life UNESCO and its partners have engaged in a comprehensive plan to revival cultural life and cultural institutions. Cinema, music, arts and all creative industries are at the heart of this work. In the fall of 2019, the first cultural festival since the end of ISIS hostilities took place in Mosul.?This was organized by UNESCO held on Al Najafi Street, which is famous for its open-air book market and considered as a center of cultural life in the city. UNESCO¡¯s Heritage Emergency Fund financed multiple events, including the launch of a documentary film, ¡°Long Live the Music¡±, and music-related activities.

To support the revival of traditional music in Mosul, UNESCO launched the ¡°Listening to Iraq¡± programme, in partnership with the NGO Action for Hope. It provided training to 24 musicians from Mosul, leading to the creation of four ensembles who benefitted from grants for music touring in Iraq.

With the support of the European Union, and in partnership with the Theatre of Ghent in Belgium, UNESCO established a Filmlab in the Fine Arts College of Mosul University. Nine short movies have been produced, enabling twenty students to be trained on the fundamentals of film production.

¡°Revive the Spirit of Mosul¡± is also about ensuring a safe learning environment for every child. Iraq is going through a period of transition. Most children have missed three years of education, from 2014 to 2017, while those who stayed in school were exposed to the violent and extreme ideology of Daesh?To undo some of the damage, UNESCO launched the project ¡®Prevention of Violent Extremism through Education¡¯ to strengthen primary school teachers¡¯ and learners¡¯ resilience to violent extremism ideologies and their commitments to non-violence and peace through appropriate educational strategies.?The aim is to develop cognitive and behavioural skills - such as critical thinking, multi-perspectivity, understandings of complexity, moral courage and responsible online behaviour.

91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ already trained 2,000 primary school teachers in 130 schools, 750 secondary school teachers in 50 schools, as well as school principals, 5,400 parents (75% women). And 50,000 children and youth were sensitized with educational mes?saging through social media. With support from the European Union, UNESCO is also working on access to quality primary and secondary education for the community, includ?ing addressing the needs of refugees, the dis?placed and others.? This effort aims to create a safe and conducive learning environment in schools, strengthening teaching capacity, providing textbooks and learn?ing materials to school age children, improving children¡¯s well-being through psychosocial sup?port and reducing the risk of unexploded ord?nance and mines to children by raising awareness.