UNESCO, the Government of Iraq and the Ministry of
Culture and Youth of United Arab Emirates, will present an exhibition on the
ongoing project, Revive the Spirit of Mosul, to restore the ancient Iraqi city’s
multicultural landmarks and way of life as a collateral event (side event) at
the 17th International Architecture Exhibition, the Venice Biennale, which will
be open to the public from 22 May to 21 November.
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Her Excellency Noura Al
Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth of the United Arab Emirates, and Audrey
Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, together with Dr. Saad Kambash, the
President of Sunni Endowment of Iraq will open the exhibition on 21 May.
Revive the spirit of Mosul exhibition presents the ancient city’s millennial
tradition of peaceful co-existence and casts light on the resilience of diverse
communities in the face of traumatic events. In doing so the exhibition reflects
on the question posed by the 17th Biennial of Architecture, curated by Hashim
Sarkis: How Will We Live Together? It showcases, chronologically, the narratives
of the city’s recent history and projections for the future in four rooms
dedicated to the themes of destruction, liberation, action and future, which
features actions taken by UNESCO, notably the reconstruction of the Al-Nouri
Mosque complex. The exhibition is curated and designed by 2050+ and produced and
installed by ALTOFRAGILE.
The reconstruction of the Al-Nouri Complex, an emblematic component of the
Revive the Spirit of Mosul initiative, was the object of an architectural
competition whose winning design and runner-ups were announced on 15 April at
the National Museum in Baghdad.
“The reconstruction of Al-Nouri Mosque complex, a historical site that is part
of Mosul’s fabric and history, marks a milestone in advancing the war-torn
city’s reconciliation and social cohesion,” declared UNESCO Director-General
Audrey Azoulay.
Over thousands of years, Mosul was a commercial, intellectual and cultural
crossroads. Its very name, al mawsil, which in Arabic means link, junction,
connector, encapsulates the idea of dialogue and diversity.
Unity in diversity is central to the identity and spirit of Mosul. It is woven
into the fabric of the city and is visible in its built heritage of shrines,
churches, mosques, madrassas and cemeteries.
When Mosul was occupied by extremists in July 2014, this fabric was ripped
apart. Over 36 months, violent extremists destroyed around 80% of the urban
landscape, including historic buildings like Al-Nouri Mosque, Al-Hadba Minaret
and the churches of Al-Tahera and Al-Saa’a. Music was forbidden, bookshops and
libraries were closed.
In February 2018, the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, launched
“Revive the Spirit of Mosul,” one of the Organization’s largest operations in
recent years. Central to this initiative is the project to rebuild Mosul’s
historical landmarks. Funded by the United Arab Emirates, the $50 million
project also aims to help revive the city’ cultural life and diversity. In
synergy with this large-scale project, UNESCO is also rehabilitating a number of
historic houses in the Old City of Mosul with the support of the European Union.
Release: UNESCO