New York: A replica of the Arch of Triumph destroyed by Daesh in the Syrian city of Palmyra was unveiled in New York City using 3D imaging technology.
The triumphal arch, a two-thirds scale of the original, was first showcased in Trafalgar Square in London this April. The arch will remain in City Hall Park for a week before being shipped to its next destination, Dubai. The move was sponsored by the UAE and was carried out in cooperation with Unesco, Oxford University, the Institute for Digital Archaeology and Harvard University.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs and the Future, deputy chairman of the board of trustees and managing director of Dubai Future Foundation, attended the unveiling.
In a statement on the occasion, Al Gergawi said that the project is a message from the UAE to the world that the region’s history is bigger than any ideology or extremists that are attempting to destroy the identity and history of the region.
“The UAE’s global message is that our objective is to preserve human civilisation and ensure that it transferred to future generations. This complements the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to preserve heritage, because it is a source of inspiration for innovators, encouraging them to develop it further and build on it to meet future requirements,” said Al Gergawi.
“In light of rapid changes taking place in the region, the role of next-generation technology is even more prominent in preserving archaeological sites and the heritage of various countries in the region. This technology will help protect these sites from being destroyed and wiped out, and will preserve them for future generations, allowing them to learn about periods of human history that were filled with success,” added Al Gergawi.
