Recommendations of the Conference on Reconstruction and Restoration of Damaged Antiquities As a result of the terrorist acts in Iraq and Syria Baghdad, Iraq, from December 03 to 05, 2018

The conference was held in Iraq with the Project Iraq Exhibition 2018 for Technical and Environmental Construction Materials and Equipment and the Iraq Exhibition for Electricity and Energy in the Baghdad International Convention and Exhibition Center over the period from 03 to 05 December 2018 and it was hosted by the Iraqi Engineers Syndicate. The inauguration was attended by the President of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, the Minister of Commerce, the Minister of Construction and Housing, Municipalities, the Governor of Baghdad, the Secretary of Baghdad and a large number of representatives and officials. The engineers’ presidents in Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon as well as the representative of the Arab League and delegations of the Engineers’ Syndicates in Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon participated in the Conference.

During the conference, a large number of working papers were submitted; 37 working papers were accepted from specialized researchers and university professions from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt in addition to Iraq. A large number of Iraqi and Arab engineers participated in the Conference. The following recommendations were issued in the Conference:

1. Using modern scientific methods in assessing buildings and establishments subjected to vandalism and demolition before taking a decision: either to remove or restore them.
2. Prioritizing national and Arab consulting firms and companies regarding the reconstruction works.
3. Issuing binding and reassuring legislations for companies and institutions to motivate them to contribute.
4. Benefitting from the Iraqi engineers’ reconstruction experience after the aggression in 1991 and studying the said experience and involving them in reconstructing the cities subjected to terrorist and military acts.
5. Preserving the cultural and architectural heritage of our historic cities, especially those listed in the World Heritage List such as Mosul and Aleppo cities.
6. Involving specialists, whether architects or archaeologists, in assessing, restoring and renewing the damaged antiquities and communicating with the UNESCO on the subject.
7. Given the difficult conditions experienced by the citizens living in the destroyed districts, it is necessary to study  the possibility of establishing integrated residential complexes in terms of aesthetics, infrastructure and services, since the restoration of these districts requires a relatively long time, taking their non-negligence into account; instead, a time plan will be developed for their reconstruction and renewal in a way better than what they have been.

• Approving the engineering bodies as the official consultant of the government, especially regarding the issue of reconstruction along with representing them in the authorities and committees formed for this purpose.
• Issuing the necessary legislations in order to solve the problems resulting from the various aspects of reconstruction such as ownership, renting, etc. so as to simplify and facilitate the work in addition to preserving the citizens’ rights.
• Depending on specialists in the field of urban and regional planning and leveraging from their expertise, especially in the early stages of reconstruction.
• By considering the large and continuous defect in the electric power system, especially in Iraq, the conference recommends the necessity of paying the utmost attention to this sector together with relying on national and international companies and expertise, restructuring the electricity sector ,and issuing the correct scientific studies in order to restore it so as to enjoy the energy sufficient for equipping all public and private utilities, taking into account the importance of considering the renewable energy as a partial alternative in some fields.
• Considering the Conference Preparatory Committee formed by the Federation Secretary General and the heads of engineering authorities in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt with the addition of Palestine and the heads of the relevant specialized authorities and standing committees in the Federation a standing committee for the purpose of reconstruction together with renewing and restoring the damaged antiquities and following up this subject through periodic meetings and continuous communication.