118 volunteers on a march in the areas of al-Malahat and Taous in the eastern Qalamoun

Damascus Countryside, (ST) – 118 volunteers participated in an environmental march in the areas of al-Mallaha and al-Taous in the eastern Qalamoun in order to spread social awareness towards ecotourism and preserving the remaining unique biodiversity. This environmental walk aims also to of highlight these unique sites and their importance in terms of tourism and nature and studying the possibility of installing a pathway in the region to serve inbound ecotourism.

 The media coordinator of the Syrian Society for Exploration and Documentation Faisal Yassoub who organized the march explained to SANA reporter that the activity of the march of the white desert (al-Taous) which is16 km from the city of Giroud to the town of Nasiriyah, can be though of as a of adventure, as the participants move from muddy to sandy areas-whilst enjoying unique and dazzling views all along.

Yassoub pointed out that the interaction of participants in the march was positive and they are from different age groups and from several governorates.

 SANA spotted the views of a number of participants in the march, where Mahmoud al-Kafri from Damascus and Waheed Boufaour from As-Swayida expressed surprise at what they saw from the unique terrain and geography characterized by the areas of al-Mallaha and al-Taous.

 Al-Rawda is a unique archaeological site in the depth of the Syrian Desert

It is to be noted that Syria is a country of great geographical, historical and archeological wealth.

 The town of al-Rawda is an archaeological site in Syria discovered in the depth of the Syrian Desert during the archaeological survey of the marginal dry areas in 1997 which is 80 km from the north east of Salameha in Hama province. It is an archaeological site in the form of a rare circular hill found rarely in the Middle East and its lands are fertile. Even so its plants still exist today.

Rawda is a living example of a real metropolis in the heart of the desert characterized by all the features of urban cities at the agricultural, economic and religious levels. All the discoveries, found in this important historic city, indicate that al-Rawda was a strategic center for trade between the Syrian coast and Mesopotamia.

Archaeologists and researchers believe that the site of Rawda which covers an area of 16 hectares, including its internal and external walls, was established in a period of territorial expansion, before the end of the third millennium BC. Its engineering plan is subject and approved before its construction.

Three temples and other religious facilities in addition to stone statues for gods, a cemetery of 78 graves and two stone walls, that used to store water for irrigation, were found.

Raghda Sawas