On the Greek island of Rhodes once stood a towering statue dedicated to the sun-god Helios, symbolizing the city’s victory against siege. The sculpture required around twelve years of engineering and artistry and reached approximately thirty-three meters in height, fulfilling the Greek passion for immortalizing their heroes and gods. Despite its grandeur, the statue’s existence was short-lived: it was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC, collapsing into ruins that remained for centuries without reconstruction.
Legend holds that the statue was built with an internal iron framework, joined by fasteners and clad in bronze plates; after its collapse, the remaining metals were repurposed by later generations.
In modern times, proposals have surfaced to erect a new version of the Colossus—this time housing a museum, library, and cultural facilities—powered by solar energy via bronze-tinted photovoltaic panels covering its exterior, freeing the structure from fossil fuels and embedding energy sustainability. These visionary designs suggest that the new monument could catalyze year-round tourism, generate employment, and strengthen the local economy.
The sustainability goal here is to achieve cultural and economic development in harmony with the environment, reducing carbon emissions through integrating renewable energy, ensuring that the ecological footprint is positive or neutral, and contributing to the sustainable progress of the community and its surroundings.
Almustaqbal University, The First University in Iraq.