UN Delegation Visits Karbala, Meets with Grand Ayatollah Al-Sistani’s Representative, Tours Museum and Manuscript Restoration Lab

Also in the delegation were the Representative of UNESCO in Iraq, Louise Haxthausen, and Samir Ghattas, Director of Public Information and spokesperson at the UN Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). Also in attendance was the head of the media department at the Imam Al Hussein Shrine, Mr. Jamal Eldin Al-Shahrestani.

Mr. Busztin’s visit was to bid farewell to the Marjaiya on the conclusion of his term in Iraq. It was also an occasion for Mr. Busztin to praise the role of the Marjaiya as a guardian of the unity and the conscience of Iraq, praising the Marjaiya’s positions on the recent developments in the country. He also outlined the efforts made by the United Nations in Iraq in the political, humanitarian and development fields.



Ms. Haxthausen noted the historical richness of Karbala and explained the cultural activities of UNESCO in Iraq, notably the efforts to preserve some of the country’s rich history that suffered immensely under the terrorist Daesh group, which had wantonly destroyed the country’s ancient heritage in all the areas it had occupied. Ms. Haxthausen also outlined UNESCO’s work and how the cultural agency can assist in the efforts to preserve and restore Iraq’s heritage.



Mr. Ghattas noted to Sheikh Al-Karbalaiee the overwhelming public and media interest in the weekly Friday sermons delivered by the Sheikh on behalf of the Marjaiya and its impact.



Sheikh Al-Karbalaiee appreciated the work of the UN and called for a more robust role, in particular to convey to the world the true image of Iraq as a country rich with history, culture and wishing to living in peace, as well as cooperation on culture and restoration.



The delegation also visited the Imam Al Hussein Museum at the shrine and received an elaborate explanation from the curator on the history of the site, which was badly damaged in 1991 when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein brutally crushed the Shia uprising against his rule in the wake of the Gulf War. The delegation also saw first-hand restoration work on the many ancient Islamic manuscripts at a high-tech specialized laboratory and expressed appreciation about the level of professionalism in handling the precious material.