Iraq pushes major revival of Mosul’s Old City
Shafaq News – Nineveh
The “Pulse of Mosul” project represents a strategic push to restore the city’s war-scarred Old City, protect its historic identity, and strengthen Mosul’s bid for inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, Nineveh Governor Abdul Qader Al-Dakhil said on Monday.
The initiative focuses on restoring Old City neighborhoods while safeguarding their original character, expanding the economic use of heritage zones, reviving domestic tourism, attracting investment, and restoring residential and social life to Mosul’s historic alleys.
Speaking at a press conference following a public dialogue session on the project, Al-Dakhil said the initiative—backed directly by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani—aims to rehabilitate Mosul’s historic core, halt years of structural deterioration, and reposition the area as a hub for cultural tourism.
“The project is being carried out by specialized heritage restoration firms in full coordination with Nineveh’s Directorate of Antiquities and under direct UNESCO supervision to preserve Mosul’s authentic architectural character,” Al-Dakhil said, adding that the effort is designed to return the city to the global cultural map.
The revival effort follows the near-total devastation Mosul suffered during ISIS’s occupation from 2014 to 2017 and the nine-month battle to liberate the city. According to UNESCO, about 80 percent of the Old City was destroyed, with entire neighborhoods flattened and major landmarks—including the Grand al-Nuri Mosque and its iconic al-Hadba minaret—blown up in 2017 as Iraqi forces closed in.
