After 7 years…

The UAE joined the opening of several Mosul heritage sites rebuilt with its funding

These landmarks have been carefully rebuilt brick by brick through UNESCO’s “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative, led and funded by the UAE.

Backstory

ISIS took control of Mosul in 2014 after a short fight, using the city as a base and declaring a caliphate there. They destroyed the historic Al-Nuri Mosque and its famous leaning minaret on June 21, 2017. It was Mosul’s most famous Sunni mosque, named after Nur al-Din Mahmoud Zangi, a leader known for fighting the Crusaders.

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Reports said ISIS rigged the mosque with explosives as Iraqi forces moved to retake Mosul, with many seeing its destruction as a final act before losing control of the city.

Mosul’s heritage shines bright once again

After 7 years, three symbols of hope and coexistence in Mosul’s Old City—the Al-Nuri Mosque, Al-Tahira Church, and Our Lady of the Hour Church—held their official opening ceremony!

“This project goes beyond architecture… It restores faith, identity, and cultural diversity. Mosul’s skyline now carries a message of resilience: minarets rise, church bells ring and communities come together to heal,” UAE Minister of State Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi wrote on Instagram.