Work on the site did not cease during the official holidays.
“For months now, 60 architects, workers and drivers have been working nonstop on this site. We even work during holidays. We want to be done with this project before the conference of Baghdad Arab Capital for Culture starts in mid-March,” said foreman Majed Kamil.
In March, Iraq is organizing a cultural conference titled "Baghdad: The Arab Capital of Culture 2013" as part of a tradition in the Arab capitals.
“We have already finished 90% of the work; the budget of this project derives from the yearly allocations of Baghdad and not from the budget of the upcoming conference,” says Haidar Abdul Sada, an architect working for the Ministry of Tourism who has been assigned to observe the restoration works.
“The tower clock of Qishla is one of the world’s oldest clocks. We can find a similar one in Ukraine, yet this one features an unadulterated Iraqi, Baghdadi characteristic,” Sada added.
Omar al-Shaher is a contributor to Al-Monitor’s Iraq Pulse. His writing has appeared in a wide range of publications including France’s LeMonde, the Iraqi Alesbuyia magazine, Egypt’s Al-Ahaly and the Elaph website.
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