UNESCO reviews 12 Iraqi sites nominated for its World Heritage List, including the Valley of Peace

Head of the Culture Unit at UNESCO in Iraq, Brendan Kassar, said that the organization is currently reviewing 12 sites nominated for entry into the World Heritage List submitted by the Iraqi authorities from 2000 until now.
The list of 12 sites includes the city of Amadiyah, the Neolithic settlement of Bustansor, historical features of the Tigris River in Baghdad extending from al-Mustansiriya School to the Abbasid Palace, the Lalish Temple, Nimrud, Ezekiel’s Tomb, the ancient city of Mosul, al-Ukhaider Fortress and Wadi al-Salam Cemetery (Valley of Peace) in Najaf.
UNESCO calls for raising awareness of the heritage that was illegally removed from Iraq, calling upon Interpol and other international organizations to assist Iraq in returning its smuggled antiquities.
Kassar emphasized that the organization also supports the efforts of the Iraqi authorities to preserve the archaeological sites, as it is currently assisting to preserve sites in the Citadel of Erbil and rehabilitate the al-Ashar Canal in Basra, in addition to rebuilding homes, mosques and churches that were destroyed as a result of the war on terror in Mosul.