The Director for the Middle East at the European Commission's Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf (DG MENA), Ms. Henrike Trautmann, and the Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the EU Delegation in Iraq, Mr. Lennart Deridder, visited Mosul's Old City on 2 September 2025 to witness the transformative impact of EU-funded heritage recovery projects. Implemented by UNESCO in close partnership with Iraqi authorities, the projects restore cultural landmarks, while providing valuable job opportunities for youth and strengthening the local economy.

The delegation met with young Iraqi trainees gaining valuable restoration skills through the heritage recovery initiative at UNESCO's office in Mosul. They also visited a reconstructed historic house where residents explained how the restoration has recreated a sense of community and catalysed the repopulation of the area.

The programme continued with a visit to the Sulaiman Al-Sayegh Palatial House, one of Mosul's finest heritage residences, rehabilitated through the EU-funded, UNESCO-implemented programme. They walked through the historic Meydan neighborhood where together with the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) they observed the ongoing restoration of traditional riverside houses led by the Nineveh Governorate under SBAH supervision.

The visit concluded on 3 September at the emblematic Erbil Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At this historic landmark, the EU delegation reaffirmed Europe's long-term commitment to safeguarding Iraq's cultural heritage and advancing cultural tourism.

This visit also highlighted successes of the EU Regional "Madad" Trust Fund, which leverages cultural heritage to strengthen resilience, generate livelihood opportunities, and foster community engagement. In Erbil, this initiative has played a pivotal role in stabilising and rehabilitating the Citadel, ensuring its preservation and accessibility for generations to come.

Since the launch of the "Revive the Spirit of Mosul" initiative led by UNESCO and backed by multiple donors, the European Union -one of the two main contributors- has mobilised 41 million EUR to support the project, underscoring its commitment to the cultural and social revitalisation of Mosul.

The European Union and UNESCO have worked in close partnership with the Government of Iraq, the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, local authorities, architects, engineers, artisans, and the people of Mosul, supporting their efforts to rebuild the city's identity as a place of coexistence and hope.