The winning Courtyards Dialogue design was submitted by a team of eight Egytian architects. Unesco
The winning Courtyards Dialogue design was submitted by a team of eight Egytian architects. Unesco
The winning Courtyards Dialogue design was submitted by a team of eight Egytian architects. Unesco
The winning Courtyards Dialogue design was submitted by a team of eight Egytian architects. Unesco

Al Nuri Mosque in Mosul will be reconstructed in its original form, jury confirms


Mina Aldroubi
  • English
  • Arabic

The architectural design chosen for the reconstruction of Al Nuri Mosque complex in Mosul will ensure the identity of the historic site is preserved, but the surrounding area will change, an official told The National.

Last November Unesco, the UN's cultural agency, launched a competition that called for a conceptual design of the area around the mosque, which was destroyed by ISIS in 2017.

The Courtyards Dialogue design submitted by eight Egyptian architects was selected last week from 123 anonymous entries, but the drawings were criticised by some Iraqis.

An independent international jury assessed the drawings in line with Unesco’s standards.

"What must be understood is the drawings did not change the location and design of the mosque and minaret," Ahmed Al Omari, a member of the jury and professor at Mosul University, told The National.

"One of the main requirements of the competition was that they stay as they are."

The designs were based on preserving the standing structures of the prayer hall, the rehabilitation of some historical buildings, and their integration into the new designs, including the landscaping of the entire site, Prof Al Omari said.

“We felt the Egyptian drawing took into account the functions and needs of the city and integrated it into the mosque’s complex.

"We want all the designs to reflect the identity of Mosul and to have cultural links."

The design received mixed reviews on social media, with some welcoming the design and others saying it was “too modern”.

“We thought a new identity was needed for the surrounding area,” Prof Al Omari said.

“However, due to the fact the reconstruction will be done on a historical site, we agreed that the drawing had to reflect its background."

Winning Entry © UNESCO Salah Hareedy; Khaled El-Deeb; Sherif Ebrahim & Tarek Ali Mohamed.
Winning Entry © UNESCO Salah Hareedy; Khaled El-Deeb; Sherif Ebrahim & Tarek Ali Mohamed.

ISIS destroyed the 12-century mosque as Iraqi government troops moved to recapture the city in 2017.

Three years earlier, the extremist group's leader, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, proclaimed a caliphate from the mosque.

Damascus emir Nur Al Din Al Zanki ordered the construction of the great mosque in 1172.

It is famous for its leaning minaret, nicknamed Al Hadba, the humpback.

The UAE is funding the Revive the Spirit of Mosul project, launched by Unesco, to rebuild the city’s historic landmarks.

In 2018, the UAE donated more than $50 million to support the project, which will restore Al Nuri Mosque and its minaret,  Al Saa’a Monastery and the 800-year-old Al Tahera church.

The winning architects will now produce a more detailed design, with a view to beginning construction in late autumn.

The jury paid particular attention to designs that enhanced the position of Al Nuri Mosque complex as an open urban space.

It will be integrated into the Old City of Mosul, creating a community space, said Salma Al Darmaki, secretary general of the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and project manager of UAE-backed projects in Mosul.

"Special attention was paid to the proposed connections with existing buildings and remains within the perimeters of the complex, in particular Al Hadba minaret, which was not included in the scope of the competition," Ms Al Darmaki told The National. 

The jury appreciated the "skilful way in which these various elements were integrated in the winning design", she said.

Ms Al Darmaki said the UAE would ensure the historical site was rebuilt according to international standards.

“The decision of what the mosque should look like when it is rebuilt is for the people and government of Iraq to decide, in accordance with international standards and best practice in this field,” she said.

Ms Al Darmaki said the UAE felt it was crucial that the “mosque serves the needs of the people of Mosul, promotes the values of unity and fraternity, and preserves the elements of heritage".

“We hope that it can serve as a space for prayer, reflection and learning, and contribute to the healing of the city," she said.

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Eyasses squad

Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)

Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)  

Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)

Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)

Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)

Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)

Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)

Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)

Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)

Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)

Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)         

Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Dunki
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The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre V8

Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm

Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: L/100km

Price: Dh306,495

On sale: now

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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

The%20Iron%20Claw
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Thor: Ragnarok

Dir: Taika Waititi

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson

Four stars

The biog

Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists. 

Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.

Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs

A4 35 TFSI

Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder

Transmission: seven-speed S-tronic automatic

Power: 150bhp

Torque: 270Nm

Price: Dh150,000 (estimate)

On sale: First Q 2020

A4 S4 TDI

Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel

Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic

Power: 350bhp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: Dh165,000 (estimate)

On sale: First Q 2020