Syria launches new national strategy to safeguard cultural heritage

DAMASCUS, 15 January (BelTA - SANA) - The General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums announced the outlines of Syria’s new national strategy for the protection and management of cultural heritage. Covering the period from 2025 to 2035, the strategy emphasizes safeguarding Syria’s heritage as a national and human treasure and harnessing it for sustainable development.
Syria launches new national strategy to safeguard cultural heritage

Strategic Objectives (2025–2035)

The plan sets out a comprehensive vision that includes developing systems for protection and preservation, enhancing documentation and registration, updating legislation and institutional frameworks, securing financial sustainability, expanding community participation, building national capacities, advancing digital transformation, strengthening international partnerships, and promoting sustainable cultural tourism linked to reconstruction efforts. An executive framework will guide implementation.

The strategy is built on 12 key pillars, including modernizing laws and policies, developing institutional structures and national expertise, improving the management of archaeological sites in line with international standards, recovering looted artifacts through international cooperation, and expanding awareness, education, and media outreach to foster a culture of heritage protection.
Syria launches new national strategy to safeguard cultural heritage

Importance of Syrian Cultural Heritage

The Directorate stressed that Syria’s tangible and intangible heritage is a cornerstone of national identity and collective memory, with a civilizational depth spanning thousands of years. It also underscored the global dimension of Syrian heritage as part of humanity’s shared legacy, which requires protection under relevant international conventions.

Challenges and Recovery

The heritage sector has faced major challenges over past decades, including a lack of strategic vision, weak expertise, declining funding, administrative corruption, and the destruction and looting of sites by the deposed regime. The post-liberation phase marked a turning point, with specialized workshops held to transition from emergency responses to sustainable strategic planning in cooperation with local and international experts.

Preparatory Work
Syria launches new national strategy to safeguard cultural heritage

Thirty preparatory workshops were organized with broad participation from experts, academics, and heritage professionals inside and outside Syria to evaluate the situation and propose practical solutions.

Outlook

The Directorate concluded that the coming phase represents a historic opportunity to rebuild Syria’s cultural heritage sector on modern, professional foundations, guided by a national vision and strengthened through cooperation among government institutions, local communities, and international organizations.