Aleppo and Mosul, two cities featuring milestones in the history of mankind, have disappeared amidst the savagery of the 21st century. What awaits us is an onerous struggle, through which these ancient cities will rise from their ashes… 

Aleppo is one of the oldest cities in the history of mankind. Looking back in time, we can trace its history to 2,700 years ago. Particularly for its being a major city along the historical Silk Road extending from the Central Asia to the Mediterranean, Aleppo has always been a crowded and economically dynamic city to contribute the most to the culture of mankind. At the time of the Ottoman Empire, Aleppo was always the third biggest city following Istanbul and Cairo. And, before the onset of the bloody civil war in Syria, it was the biggest city in this country. At present, given its state of destruction, its population is lesser than that of Damascus for the first time in history, owing to forced deportation. The “old Aleppo”, once representing a historical jewel, is now in ruins. Cultural heritage of the mankind was exterminated along with the city’s people. Here it stands before us as a disgrace, caused by the ruthlessness of our century…