Historical CBDs

 

Ayoob Thanoon, Thanks for sharing the pain of lost historical landmark, which is increasingly happening everywhere, especially among the old districts which inevitably become the CBDs. Despite the charters and treaties that most countries had signed off to protect the immovable historical properties and sites, yet, there is no clear or defined mechanism to effectively deter the violations. I believe the "Script Writers" of those documents had realized the growing challenges of land banks and revenues, implicitly allowing "City Managers" to promote the cultural values and national attributes. Mostly are failing in the developing countries due to multiple reasons. There is a critical need to change the mindset among policy-makers, professionals and public to realize the essence of heritage preservation; with "innovative applications" to generate reasonable financial benefits. There are many successful examples to learn from. No need to reinvent the wheels. However, it is an element of Urban Democracy, which practically sounds unimportant against socioeconomic democracy.!

Ayoob ThanoonAyoob Thanoon •2ndFounder and President of Mosul Heritage FoundationFounder and President of Mosul Heritage Foundation
22 hours ago • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn

Deeply saddened… Unfortunately, Mosul has lost the last remaining house on the banks of the Tigris, after the remnants of Sheikh Al-Shatt Mosque were taken away. These were not just walls, but witnesses to the features and spirit of old Mosul. And today, they are gone.
Every loss of a heritage landmark means the loss of a part of our identity. With each recurring justification and silence, the gap between Mosul and its authenticity grows wider.
As Dr. Ahmed Qasim Al-Jum’ah expressed: “Inside me, there is a deep sorrow for what is happening to the riverfront.” This sorrow is not personal, but shared by everyone who watches Mosul slowly losing its character.
This is a sincere call to review what is happening, and to involve experts and professionals in decision-making—before we lose even more of what can never be replaced.