Syria's Endangered Heritage, page 15
What is required to garner more support of the IDS are capacity—building activities and training for museum and heritage professionals, along with government police and customs agents, on the use and functioning of the IDS with respect to the protection of global cultural heritage artifacts.
Emergency Red Lists.
As the owners of our global heritage, the international public should also urge and direct their governments and fellow citizens to support and distribute ICOM’s Emergency Red List of Syrian Cultural Objects at Risk.
Along with a dozen other similar Red Lists issued by ICOM, the Syrian Red List is an internationally recognized tool that assists cultural heritage professionals, collectors, and most importantly police and customs officials in identifying objects protected by national legislation that have been smuggled or illicitly traded. ICOM needs the help of us all—informing and working within our communities, museums, and auction houses. Our combined efforts with respect to the Emergency Red List for Syria can make an enormous difference in stopping the international flow of irreplaceable stolen antiquities.
Digital Mapping
At the national level, a team of Syrian experts is also designing and developing a digital map, based on geographic information system (GIS) technology, to detail the endangered and damaged cultural patrimony on the ground. The inventories and archives of cultural property in Syrian museums continue to be digitized to simplify the identification and registration of any missing artifacts. Testimonies, images and videos from the Syrian public, and from national and international archaeological missions, assist in completing the digitized database. All this collated information helps facilitate a more effective response against trafficking of cultural property out of Syria, and will also allow experts to determine priorities in the urgent maintenance and restoration of archaeological sites and museums damaged in the conflict. The digital mapping system is compatible with international standards and will improve coordination between national and international organizations in the post—conflict rehabilitation of Syria’s historic sites and museums.
Digital map showing Raqqa old city – completed by DGAM’s GIS team
UNWTO
The importance of a coordinated response is further illustrated by the awareness—raising joint initiative of UNODC, the United Nations World Tourism Organization and UNESCO urging travellers to support the fight against a number of forms of trafficking, including trafficking in cultural property in Syria.
The UNWTO, of which Syria is among its 156 members, is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. UNWTO has joined with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to urge tourists to become responsible travellers and help fight trafficking in looted cultural heritage artifacts.
The UNWTO campaign - Your Actions Count: Be A Responsible Traveller (www.bearesponsibletraveller.org) - aims to raise awareness among tourists visiting Syria on how they can help fight trafficking by encouraging a better understanding of the major criminal implications hidden behind some decisions taken while travelling. With more than 1 billion tourists travelling the globe each year the tourism sector has strong potential to support the fight to stamp out the scourge of looting cultural heritage.
Cultural Artefacts
Culture objects such as traditional carvings, pottery and antiques make attractive gifts, but be sure you are not unwittingly buying stolen or illegally excavated or looted artefacts. Everyday, countless sites and monuments across the globe are pillaged, robbing people of their past. Specialized orgamized crime networks move and sell these goods. The impact that this can have is irreverseble with countries and citizens being denied their heritage cutural identities.
Make sure that the souvenirs you take home have a documented and legal history aren`t stolen and can be exported. Ask about the origin of what you are buying and always keep in mind your own country`s rich history and heritage and how you would feel if this was taken away from you.
DID YOU KNOW?
The amount of cultural goods of licit and illicit provenance sold in the world was approximately US$ 60 billion in 2014, a 50% increase in ten years. Illicit trafficking of looted cultural heritage artifacts alone is valued at US$ 7 billion each year, and often involves organized crime groups and criminal networks as well as some of the combatants in the current crisis in Syria.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
BE A RESPONSIBLE TRAVELLER
Make sure that the souvenirs you take home have a documented and legal history, aren’t stolen and can be exported. Ask about the origin of what you are buying and always keep in mind your own country’s rich history and heritage and how you would feel if this was taken away from you.
DGAM and the Grass Roots Citizens Campaign to ‘Save Syria’s History’
An unprecedented range of effective steps in defense of archaeological and architectural heritage has also been undertaken by Syria’s Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM). One of these is a national campaign under the banner “Syria My Homeland—the National Campaign to Protect Syrian Heritage.”
Launched in 2013 to raise local and international awareness of the looting of museums and illegal excavations at archaeological sites, the campaign additionally serves to remind all Syrian citizens and the international community that our global cultural heritage has no political allegiances, that all must unite to protect Syria’s rich cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations.
As part of the effort, posters and audio—visual materials have been disseminated throughout the country, and according to DGAM sources, this outreach, combined with the apolitical nature of the campaign, has served to engage Syria’s people in actively protecting their cultural heritage, with networks of volunteers from local communicates coming together all over the country. Mobilizing around a common objective—the protection of their unique cultural heritage—these networks within Syria’s populace provide additional security, safeguarding museums and protecting archaeological sites from illegal excavations. They have also helped recover looted items of cultural significance, and according to local sources, a growing number of ordinary Syrian citizens are working with local heritage authorities to identify and recover antiquities illegally removed from their place of origin.
One example of this is the Berhalia mosaic, discussed more fully in chapter 4. With the help of local authorities, DGAM was able to trasport the object to the national Archaeological Scientific Reconstruction Laboratories in Damascus, where it is now being restored and studied.
Other communities have also provided invaluable help, joining the staff of Syrian museums to enhance security at threatened sites. This type of citizen activism, despite the current crisis, is happening all over the country, where local populations are assisting, and sometimes taking the lead, in reporting and recovering stolen antiquities.
Printed posters from DGAM AD Campaign to ‘Save Syria’s History
DGAM’s Bookmark
Government sponsored citizen workshops
Citizens also came together at a government sponsored Workshop Against Illicit Trafficking of Syrian Cultural Property, held in May of 2013 at the National Museum in Damascus. Agenda topics included smuggled artifacts and their historical and cultural significance to the country, as well as local and international regulations against illicit trafficking of cultural property and their effectiveness in light of the latest developments impacting Syria. Also highlighted was the role of the state in promoting awareness among all segments of society concerning antiquities and national heritage.
Workshop poster by DGAM
Independent International Citizen Initiatives
An excellent report by the Spanish NGO, Heritage for Peace, offers an encouraging summary of pro bono actions being mounted by any number of non—governmental bodies and organizations internationally, many of them established specifically to address the assault upon our global heritage. In these efforts wide use is being made of social media (Facebook, YouTube, websites, blogs, etc.), while petitions, media campaigns, lectures, and exhibitions are also achieving important results. One exhibition, documenting the shocking and devastating damage to the cultural heritage of Aleppo, is entitled “Civilization and Ashes.” Compiled by Syrian photographer Hagop Wanesian, the exhibit opened at the Damascus Opera House on 4/7/14. Other citizen initiatives also reported by Heritage for Peace (with links and/or contact information) include the following:
Aleppo Archaeology (AA)
Founded in 2012, AA has dedicated a Facebook page on the current status of the Ancient City of Aleppo, a UNESCO—designated World Heritage site.
Alliance for the Restoration of Cultural Heritage (ARCH)
ARCH is a nonprofit organization founded in 2013 which aims to raise awareness on cultural heritage sites threatened by wars. In collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution and Blue Shield, ARCH International has created within its organizational structure The Working Group to Protect Syrian Heritage in Crisis. The body includes experts in cultural heritage preservation, media, diplomacy, history, archaeology and other fields.
(Archaeological Institute of America (AIA
Based in Boston, USA, the AIA was founded in 1879 and is a nonprofit with a professional, fulltime staff devoted to world archaeology and to fostering public understanding of the material record of the human past. Its efforts with respect to the Syrian crisis have been underway since 2012. These include financial support, twice renewed, of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield’s statement on protection of Syrian cultural heritage as well as promotion of a conference at Princeton University, in December 2013, that gathered an array of scholars in heritage, history, and cultural and property law preservation to discuss how to respond to the Syrian crisis.
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
In September 2012, Amnesty International, USA requested information from the AAAS’s Geospatial Technologies and Human Rights Project on human rights—related issues stemming from the escalating conflict in Aleppo. Though focusing mainly on the localization of military heavy artillery and destruction of the suburban area of the city—contextualized on maps—the report also provides useful information about damage to structures within the Ancient City of Aleppo.
Archaeologik
Archaeologik is a blog founded in 2010 and maintained from Mainz, Germany. Since 2012, it has shared monthly updates on damage to Syria’s archaeological heritage, with links to media sources, and in December 2013 it promoted the publication of a new book on Aleppo, Ein Krieg zerstört Weltkulturerbe Geschichte, Gegenwart, Perspektiven, edited by Mamoun Fansa.
Archaeology in Syria (NETWORK)
Archaeology in Syria NETWORK was formed in 2012 from an international team of archaeologists. Its main objectives include connecting those involved with or interested in accumulated multidisciplinary knowledge through archaeological excavation and research in the Near East in general and Syria in particular. Protection of Syrian archaeological heritage through interviews, articles, sharing and updating are promoted on the organization’s website and Facebook page.
Association for the Protection of Syrian Archaeology (APSA)
Based in Strasbourg, France, APSA has documented information about damage to Syria’s heritage since 2012, releasing updates as well as working to raise public awareness about the safeguarding of cultural heritage. The organization was formed from a team of international volunteers, archaeologists and journalists from France, Belgium and Syria.
Blue Shield – International Committee of the Blue Shield (ICBS) and Association of National Committees of the Blue Shield (ANCBS)
The ICBS was founded in 1996 to protect world cultural heritage sites threatened by war and national disasters. National committees were subsequently formed in various countries, leading to the establishment of the ANCBS in 2008. Since 2011, the ICBS has worked on advancing public awareness and protections for Syrian cultural heritage through statements and press releases.
(British Association for Near Eastern Archaeology (BANEA
BANEA brings together scholars interested in archaeology, ancient history and languages of the Near East. The organization has supported the Syrian heritage cause since 2012, circulating a petition that year calling for protection of the nation’s cultural sites. It has also generated discussion on the issue at its last two annual conferences, in 2013 and 2014, with a report on the 2014 meeting having been released by Dr. Emma Cunliffe, Durham University.
Cultural Heritage in Syria in the current conflict (Heritage in Syria in Danger)
This initiative was started in 2012 in Denmark where the University of Copenhagen, and in particular the Cultural Heritage Group (CHG) at the Department of Cross—Cultural and Regional Studies (TORS), are documenting and updating information about the damage to cultural heritage on its website. The site contains text, images, and videos related to the current conditions of heritage sites in Syria. The project, in May 2013, also organized a seminar entitled “Archaeology and Conflict.”
Culture in Development (CID)
Based in The Netherlands, CID dedicated a special dossier on its website on damage to Syria’s cultural heritage. The organization was founded in 1997.
Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (DAI)
DAI is a federal agency within the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs devoted to research in archaeology and related fields. It has launched two initiatives in cooperation with the Museum of Islamic Art. One of these is the Syrian Heritage Archive Project, undertaken in 2013 with the aim of digitizing the museum’s inventories, followed in 2014 by a series of lectures entitled Syrien – eine bedrohte Kulturlandschaft, to be held in Berlin.
Eyes to Protect Syrian Heritage (a.k.a. Eyes on Heritage)
Based in Syria, this initiative got underway in 2012 with the aim of documenting cultural heritage destruction via its Facebook page.
Fides News Agency (Fides)
Fides is a Catholic news agency in Vatican City State. It is part of the congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and promotes missionary activity through the press. In October 2012, Christian churches in Syria appealed to Fides to help “save the religious, historical and cultural heritage of the country.”
Global Heritage Fund (GHF)
Founded in 2002 and based in California, USA, GHF is a nonprofit international organization working to protect and preserve significant endangered cultural heritage. GHF offered the first publicly released collation of the damage to Syria’s heritage, and continues to provide updates on the situation through its blog.
Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO)
ISESCO has denounced the destruction of mosques and Islamic monuments in Syria, including the burning of the Umayyad Great Mosque in Aleppo, calling upon the international community to apply political pressure to halt the shelling of the city of Aleppo and its historical and religious monuments. It also convened an Emergency Meeting for Protecting Cultural Heritage to address the endangered heritage in Aleppo “whether through reconstruction and maintenance or through documentation and inventory of the historical sites that were demolished.” Headquartered in Rabat, Morocco, ISESCO was founded in 1979 with the objective of promoting and consolidating joint action among the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the fields of education, science, culture and communications.
Oriental Heritage Without Borders (OHWB)
OHWB is a cultural and scientific association working to promote the protection of Syria’s cultural heritage from its headquarters in Berlin, Germany. Its “Here is Syria – The Forgotten Heritage” project collects and shares videos, messages, stories, and photos about the attacks upon the country’s cultural heritage sites, working to raise public awareness through social networks and international organizations.
Saving Antiquities for Everyone (SAFE)
Founded in New York City, USA, in 2003, SAFE is comprised of professionals from media, advertising, academic, and law enforcement communities working to raise awareness of the vulnerabilities of ancient cultural heritage. SAFE works to promote the protection of Syrian cultural heritage through its website.
World Monument Fund (WMF)
WMF is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites around the world. It was founded in New York City, USA, in 1965, and today it promotes the safeguarding of Syrian cultural heritage through several projects: a) a website called Crisis in Syria featuring updated information about damage to the country’s cultural heritage; b) a petition to Help Ensure the Survival of Syria’s Cultural Heritage; c) the Heritage in the Crosshairs campaign, which seeks to raise money for the protection of Syrian cultural heritage; d) the 2014 World Monuments Watch highlighting 67 sites from 41 countries, including Syria, that are under threat from war, the environment or economic development; and e) response to an appeal directly from Syrian authorities for help in preserving three key sites: Aleppo’s historic center, Krak des Chevaliers and the medieval fortified city of Qal’at al-Madiq. Also from 2000-2010 WMF worked extensively with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture on the restoration of Aleppo Citadel.
