UNESCO missions to the Syrian World Heritage sites

After fifteen years, the UNESCO missions to the Syrian World Heritage site.

The joint international mission of UNESCO, represented by the World Heritage Centre (WHC), the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and its permanent office in Beirut, dedicated the second stop of its assessment and inspection visit to Crac_des_Chevaliers (Qal’at al-Hosn) one of the Syrian World Heritage sites listed on the Danger List. The aim was to assess the extent of the State Party’s compliance with international standards in implementing the corrective measures outlined in the “Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) report”. These measures are intended to preserve the site’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).

It is worth noting that these corrective measures, along with the required restoration and rescue work, were implemented through a collaboration between the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) and the St. Ephrem Patriarchal Development Committee (EPDC), under the framework agreement that unites them. This represents a most brilliant and splendid example of genuine partnership between governmental institutions and civil society organizations to advance the Syrian situation and elevate it to the ranks of developed societies. Some of these works were carried out with government funding, while the larger portion was funded internationally through the EPDC’s distinguished relationships with Their partners, the Hungary Helps Agency (HHA) and the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage (ALIPH).

The visit began with a visual assessment presentation involving a group of engineers and architects responsible for the study and implementation of the works, in addition to the head of the Hosn City Council, who reviewed the challenges facing the site’s buffer zone. These discussions were followed by three field tours to observe the status of the implementation of the required corrective measures.

The EPDC was represented by its General Manager, His Eminence Metropolitan Boutros Kassis, its Executive Director, Eng. Hisham Saad and the team of engineers and architects responsible for the implementation. The members of the international mission expressed their sincerest feelings of gratitude and thanks to His Eminence the Metropolitan for this genuine and sincere embodiment of giving and partnership to improve the situation of Syrian society and its unique world heritage.

In conclusion, the participants expressed hope that the results of this visit and the subsequent discussions between the visiting organization’s representatives and its officials at the headquarters in Paris during its next annual meeting would lead to the approval of removing the site from the List of World Heritage in Danger, allowing it to regain its splendor and once again contribute to weaving bonds of cooperation and convergence among the peoples of the world.