ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Rudaw CEO Ako Mohammed was presented an official document recognizing Erbil Citadel as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Thursday night by Iraqi musician Naseer Shamma, the headline act at the Daffodil Cities Concert.
“When I was at the UNESCO [headquarters] in Paris, I received the original document ... and I present it to Mr. Ako Mohammed, general manager of Rudaw,” Shamma told an audience at Thursday night’s concert, hosted at the historic site.
Erbil Citadel provided the beautiful backdrop to the Daffodil Cities Concert, bringing together world-renowned musicians in a celebration of the famed site.
Shamma, an Iraqi oud player and UNESCO Artist for Peace ambassador, headlined the live performance.
The free concert, which was presented by a coalition of 10 artists known as the Peace Builders, attracted hundreds of music lovers.
Hazhar Zahawi, a Kurd representing Kurdistan among the musicians, said they chose Erbil Citadel because it “is the oldest site of continued humanity, and it is also to support the history of this ancient castle.”
UNESCO designated the Erbil Citadel a World Heritage Site in 2014. It is believed to have been built by the Assyrians.
The Citadel is a fortified tell in the centre of the Kurdish capital and is among the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the world.
Erbil Citadel is the fourth Iraqi site to be included on the World Heritage List, after Ashur, Hatra, and the Samarra Archaeological city. Although inclusion on the list does not entitle these sites to armed guards to protect them from harm, the international community is obliged to lobby for their protection.
In early April, NASA chose a satellite image of the Erbil Citadel for its Image of the Day.
“From above, Erbil Citadel appears at the center of what looks like a wagon wheel—perhaps more than a coincidence, as evidence suggests humans may have been living there during the Ubaid period, when humans invented the wheel,” NASA said.
Efforts are underway by local authorities, including the directorate of antiquities, to restore the site.
The citadel was once home to 1,631 people and 247 houses, according to the Kurdistan Region census of 1995.
Parts of the citadel have become a tourist attraction with a souvenir shop, textile museum, and geology museum.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) allocated more $13 million for restoration of the citadel in 2010. However, much of the progress has been slowed or halted because of the economic crises and the war with the Islamic State (ISIS).
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment