A meeting was held at the National Museum in Damascus, bringing together several experts from the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums and a delegation from the Russian Academy of Sciences. The discussion focused on prospects for joint cooperation in protecting Syrian cultural and architectural heritage through joint missions and documentation efforts.
During the meeting, the Russian side presented the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums with the results of its documentation work in the city of Palmyra and several churches.
Mr. Mohammad Nazeer Awad, Director-General of Antiquities and Museums, noted that the interventions emphasized the importance of Syrian cultural heritage and the need for binding international agreements to protect it as a vital part of human heritage. He added that cooperation between the two sides is progressing well and that the Russian side has promised to provide complete three-dimensional documentation upon completion for use in restoration projects.
On another note, Natalia Selyfov from the Russian Academy of Sciences stated that the meeting was part of the joint Syrian-Russian session following the International Conference on the Return of Syrian Refugees and Displaced Persons. The aim is to support the recovery of Syrian heritage, which would encourage displaced persons to return to their cities, create job opportunities, and revive tourism in their regions.
Natalia Selyfov further explained that participants discussed how to safeguard Syrian cultural heritage from the dangers it faces as part of humanity’s collective heritage. She noted that cooperation with the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums has been ongoing for three years, focusing on projects such as documenting damages, creating a 3D model of Palmyra, and documenting churches, monasteries, and the damages they have suffered.
The meeting was attended on the Syrian side by Dr. Hammam Saad, Deputy Director-General and Director of Excavation and Archaeological Studies; Dr. Dima Ashkar, Director of Museum Affairs; and Engineer Maher Mardini, Director of Restoration. On the Russian side, participants included Georgy Igorevich Setienko, Deputy Director of the State Protection of Cultural Heritage Administration under the Russian Ministry of Culture, representatives from the Russian Committee for UNESCO Affairs, the National Committee for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, and the Museums of the East (ICOMOS Russia).
