The Minister of Culture held a meeting with UNESCO Representative to Iraq and the Ambassador of the European Union

The Minister of Culture, Dr. Hassan Nadhem, met with UNESCO Representative to Iraq, Paolo Fontani, and EU Ambassador, Martin Huth, to discuss the latest developments on the rehabilitation works in the old cities of Basra and Mosul.

The Director of the Basra Department of Antiquities, Mr Qathan Al Abeed, gave a detailed presentation of the heritage buildings for rehabilitation in Old Basra, as well as the heritage palaces such as Sheikh Khazal Palace in the Nazran region.

The delegation pointed out that the heritage buildings in Basra, especially in the Al-Nazran region, have suffered great damage as a result of wars and neglect, and population overruns have exacerbated these damages, in addition to highlighting the importance of rehabilitating Al-Ashar Canal for its essential impact on the rehabilitation of the rest of the heritage houses nearby.

It is worth noting that this meeting is the second of its kind, to discuss the course of action in the two old cities and to develop a clear mechanism for implementing scheduled steps according to precise time limits.