Rebuilding Mosul

The call to prayer from Al Nouri Mosque's leaning minaret was heard across Mosul five times a day for 850 years until ISIS reduced the building to rubble in 2017 as part of the terror group's scorched-Earth retreat.

Situated at the spiritual heart of the old city, near the banks of the Tigris river, the mosque had dominated the skyline of Mosul since its construction during the golden age of Islam.

It stood while Genghis Khan expanded the Mongol empire from the far corners of East Asia to Europe, as Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors sailed across the world exploiting and colonising territories, and even as millions of Africans were stolen from their lands and shipped as slaves to the "New World". But, in just a few moments, it was gone.

ISIS blew up Al Nouri Mosque as government troops moved in to recapture the city from the terror group's clutches. Its destruction left Mosul's residents devastated and a long-standing symbol of faith and perseverance was lost.

ISIS’s three-year rule over northern Iraq left thousands of the country’s archaeological sites heavily damaged and pillaged. Thousands of people were displaced, their homes in ruins.

Since the liberation of the city, five years ago, authorities in Mosul have sought to rebuild. They recovered more than 44,000 bricks from the old town that will be used to rebuild the mosque and its leaning Al Hadba minaret.

The reconstruction of Al Nouri Mosque is seen as an act of resilience and a restoration of peace to the war-torn city that was once Iraq’s main trading hub.

Working alongside the Iraqi government and the UN’s Cultural Agency, Unesco, the UAE pledged $50 million (Dh183.6m) to rebuild the mosque and its surrounding complex.

The project is part of the Unesco initiative known as Revive the Spirit of Mosul, launched in 2018, through an agreement between Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi and the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The five-year project aims to restore the urban, cultural and social elements of Mosul’s old town. The plans include rebuilding the mosque and a surrounding 11,050 square metre complex of prayer halls and buildings, as well as Al Tahera Church and Al Saa'a Church.

With most of the clean-up of rubble and demining now completed, the reconstruction project has already begun to provide jobs and training opportunities for local residents, who hope it will bring their city back to life.

Reconstruction work on Al Hadba minaret and the two churches begins in March, with the entire project set for completion in 2023.

Resurrecting a city's rich history and diversity

Built in 1170, during the golden age of Islam, Al Nouri Mosque and its leaning minaret is one of Mosul's best known sites, and a source of pride for Moslawis.

The place of worship is so interlinked with the social and historic fabric of the city that Al Habda and Mosul are used interchangeably to refer to the city.

"The mosque is a symbol of our history and identity. The rebuilding of it means a lot to us and brings back hope," said Asmaa Khalid Alrawi, 23, a university student and civil activist.

Seeing the Grand Mosque being reconstructed is a dream, she said.

“It’s a great move for the people and the city, the UAE has been really effective and helpful and their funds and donations are highly appreciated."

Many residents see the reconstruction as a triumph over the terror their city endured under ISIS.

The progress in restoring the mosque signifies what can be accomplished when countries, international organisations and local bodies work together.

Last October, the mosque held its first ceremony since liberation from ISIS to celebrate the Prophet Mohammed's birthday.

“Mosul is rising again! A part of the celebration of the Prophet Mohammed's birthday at Al Nouri Mosque, after many years of absence,” Unesco said on Twitter.

Pictures and videos on social media showed hundreds of people gathering at a compound in front of the mosque. The courtyard was decorated with multicoloured lights that illuminated the building's gaping windows, the skeletal scaffolding surrounding the site, and the base of the minaret - the only part of it that survived the damage.

“ISIS brings death, we bring life,” said Omar Mohammed, an Iraqi historian, on Twitter.

Reconstruction efforts have also brought new discoveries. Archaeological excavations beneath the mosque this month found prayer rooms dating back to the 12th century. The discovery included four rooms where archaeologists believed ablution was carried out.

“This is a great discovery and it is another proof that the ancient Mosul still exists underground," said Mr Mohammed.

Reconstructing two churches

Less than 10 minutes' walk from Al Nouri Mosque are two churches that were partially demolished by ISIS during their occupation of Mosul. Al Tahera and Al Saa’a churches will also be reconstructed as part of the UAE and Iraqi government-backed Unesco project.

Known as Our Lady of the Hour Church, Al Saa’a lies in the heart of the Old City of Mosul.

Built in the 1870s by Dominican monks, the church symbolises unity and tolerance in an area torn apart by religious violence. It holds significance for the city’s architectural history and heritage. It was also once a school that welcomed Moslawis regardless of their faith.

In 2016, ISIS blew up the church, as part of their campaign to destroy non-Muslim places of worship, leaving only the clock tower standing.

“By adding Al Tahera and Al Saa’a to the project, the Emirates are trying to promote the model of society, of living together. This came after Pope Francis’s visit to the UAE, as a desire to promote this capacity to live together as a means to strengthen common peace and prosperity,” Dominican Father Olivier Poquillon told The National.

“It was a strong building; we restored it in the 1990s, that’s why they [ISIS] used it for their own purpose. Each time I enter I make a prayer for those who suffered.

“We want to turn it back into a place of worship and peace dedicated to God.”

Al Saa'a was first damaged in 2006, after it was bombed during the sectarian war in Iraq. It was subsequently used as a jail and torture court by ISIS in 2014 before the terrorist group destroyed it.

Al Tahera Church also holds great importance to Mosul. Built in the late 1850s, the Syriac Catholic church was partially destroyed by ISIS. The ceiling was completely destroyed, while some of its walls remain.

The UAE's Minister of Culture, Noura Al Kaabi, said the reconstruction of Al Tahira Church not only cemented Mosul’s position as a hub of rich cultural heritage, but also restored religious diversity that the city is known for.

“The reconstruction of Al Nouri Mosque and its minaret carries peace and coexistence importance in a multi-religious society, doctrines and cultures," she said.

"One day, the [mosque] shall rise again in Mosul’s skies, and churches will be rebuilt, and cultural and musical events will be celebrated, along with many other events that celebrate human culture, before the enemies of enlightenment began their destruction."

During his historic religious pilgrimage across Iraq in March last year, Pope Francis stopped in Mosul to pray for humanity. It was from the church square, in a clearing next to Al Tahera Church, where the pontiff prayed for the victims of war.

In touching scenes that would have been unthinkable to imagine a few years ago, the Pope mounted a stage in Mosul surrounded by crumbling churches and other buildings to deliver a message of peace and unity.

Hope for the future

From the ashes of a devastating war, Moslawis now have hope for a better future.

The reconstruction project has shown that international co-operation is possible and can help to breathe life back into their war-torn ancient city.

The partnership between the Iraqi government, Unesco and the UAE aims to not only help the city recover from the terror it endured but also empower its residents to continue living in peaceful co-existence.

“Reconstruction will succeed and Iraq will regain its influence only if the human dimension is given priority. Education and culture are the key elements,” said Audrey Azoulay, Unesco's director general.

“They are forces of unity and reconciliation. It is through education and culture that Iraqis, men, and women alike, will be able to regain control of their destiny and become actors in the renewal of their country."

Unesco hopes to have completed the project and returned Mosul's landmarks to its people by the end of 2023.

Mr Fontani, said Iraq was blessed with a rich history and archaeology, but now needed resources to recover.