PARIS — Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq, was under Islamic State (IS) control for three years, from 2014 until 2017. When the liberators arrived, they found a city almost completely ruined. According to UNESCO estimates, 80% of the Old City of Mosul has been destroyed due to its occupation. Five years later, Paris-based UNESCO Chief Audrey Azoulay prepares to travel to the region in order to launch the second phase of the agency’s cultural heritage reconstruction program.
Mosul is the capital of the region of Ninevah, mentioned already in the Bible. Ancient mosques, churches and synagogues adorning the city testify to its glorious history, rich in architecture, culture and art. Almost all of that was gone with the IS invasion and ensuing battles.
