The Vatican on Monday said Pope Francis will visit Iraq next year, as Baghdad welcomed the development.
It will be the pontiff's first trip abroad since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
It will also make him the first pope to visit the war-torn country.
He is scheduled to visit five places, including Baghdad, Erbil and Mosul between March 5-8, the Vatican said.
"The programme of the journey will be made known in due course, and will take into consideration the evolution of the worldwide health emergency," spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
Pope Francis, 84, has long expressed his desire to visit Iraq, said the Vatican.
“I think constantly of Iraq – where I want to go next year – in the hope that it can face the future through the peaceful and shared pursuit of the common good on the part of all elements of society, including the religious, and not fall back into hostilities sparked by the simmering conflicts of the regional powers," the Pope said earlier this year.
Iraq's Foreign Ministry welcomed the announcement by the Vatican, and said it would be a "historic visit".
"The visit represents a message of peace to Iraq and the entire region, it affirms unity in confronting extremism and promotes diversity and tolerance," the ministry said.
Iraqi President Barham Salih hailed the announcement.
"The journey by Pope Francis to Mesopotamia – cradle of civilisation, birthplace of Abraham, father of the faithful – will be a message of peace to Iraqis of all religions and serve to affirm our common values of justice and dignity," Mr Salih said on Twitter.
Iraq is traditionally home to many different Eastern Rite churches, both Catholic and Orthodox, and their presence was once a sign of Iraq’s ethnic and religious diversity.
The country was once home to millions of Christians but only a few hundred thousand remain following the outbreak of sectarian violence after the 2003 US-led invasion and the rise of ISIS.
In 2000, the late Pope John Paul II wanted to visit the ancient Iraqi city of Ur, believed to be the birthplace of Abraham, the father of all three of the great monotheistic religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
It would have been the first stop of a three-step pilgrimage to Iraq, Egypt and Israel.
But negotiations with the government of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein broke down and he was unable to go.
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Awar Qalb
Director: Jamal Salem
Starring: Abdulla Zaid, Joma Ali, Neven Madi and Khadija Sleiman
Two stars
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