Page 99 - MINISTRY OF CULTURE PR REPORT - FEBRUARY 2025

UAE Acknowledged As Key Partner In Heritage

Protection By UNESCO Director-General Audrey

Azoulay

By OneArabia

Published: Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 12:39 [GST]

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has acknowledged the UAE's significant contribution to
international cultural cooperation. She described the nation as a crucial partner in heritage
preservation and post-crisis reconstruction. At the World Governments Summit 2025 in Dubai,
Azoulay emphasised the importance of global collaboration in education, culture, and science.
Azoulay highlighted the "Revive the Spirit of Mosul" initiative, launched in 2018, as a prime example
of how heritage restoration can aid recovery. The UAE was the main financial backer of this project.
This initiative has successfully restored key historical sites in Mosul, such as the Al-Nouri Mosque
and its Al-Hadba Minaret, along with other significant landmarks.

The restoration efforts have included the Convent of our Lady of the Hour and Al-Tahera Church, Al-
Aghawat Mosque, and Al-Ekhlass school in Mosul's Old City. By late 2024, 124 heritage houses had
been rehabilitated, enabling displaced families to return home. Azoulay recently visited Mosul and
observed that its historic centre is once again lively, demonstrating that heritage restoration can
significantly contribute to rebuilding communities.

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