Cultural Heritage: A Gateway for Exiting the Syrian Crisis

Abstract

Our complicated relationship with our environment is a perennial stimulus to the development of material and immaterial cultural heritage and has contributed substantially to environmental development, It is the reason human beings are such a central element in post-crisis reconstruction, especially in historic cities and around archaeological sites. Ten years of war and crisis in Syria have resulted in the destruction of cultural heritage and in the hearts, minds, and lives of the country’s citizens. The crucial role that reconstruction and recovery of cultural heritage has to play in rebinding war-torn communities and reintegrating Syrians of all religions, nationalities, and political affiliations is clear from a recent survey by the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, which showed Syrians’ overwhelming rejection of the theft or destruction of cultural heritage – a result with promise for rebuilding social cohesion and cultural heritage in tandem. The accounts by Syrians, inside and outside the country, of their experiences and their attitudes toward cultural heritage presented in this paper offer valuable insight into cultural heritage’s potential role in human-centred post-war reconstruction.