Syria holds Several cultural activities on the occasion of International Museum Day

On the occasion of International Museum Day, the Ministry of Culture – General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (GDAM)- invited the Syrian people to discover the treasures of the Syrian civilizations , which tell the story of our ancestors and their achievements in all ages, through having an idea about the collections of the National Museum in Damascus, which were preserved, studied, and protected for future generations.

The invitation includes involvement in several cultural activities that have been organized by the DGAM for children to visit the National Museum of Damascus plus a workshop for coloring artifacts based on drawings prepared by the international artist Sarah Shamma in cooperation with the Directorate, through which she simulates the artifacts that the children learned about during the visit, which came in cooperation with the Friends of Museums Association, the “Al-Adiyat” Association, and the Friends of Damascus Association.

Moreover, there were special tours for hearing impaired  in cooperation with “My Language is My Sign” association, and other various cultural events for children and adults in cooperation with the “Basmet Hayat” Association, the “Salam” Foundation, and the Dafa Association.

Director General of Antiquities and Museums Mohammad Nazir Awad told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) yesterday: “The National Museums build a bridge of communication between the public and the museums on International Museum Day through holding many events in partnership with civil society with the aim of introducing these ancient cultural collections, by visiting the Classical Pavilion. And holding several cultural activities in the museum garden.”

“The Directorate has worked on registering 6 sites on the World Heritage List by meeting all the necessary standards that are required to preserve them in accordance with Syrian laws,” Awad said during a symposium held on the “Local Society’s Role in Preserving Antiquities”.

He indicated that the repercussions of the terrorist war on Syria, which also affected antiquities, revealed some weaknesses that the Directorate always seeks to overcome by employing the people of the region in the archaeological sites that are near their places of residence.

“Despite the challenges, difficulties and acute economic crisis we face, which are reflected in the difficulty of importing, a number of museums have been reopened,” he added, pointing out that the earthquake disaster that hit the country last year had a negative impact and brought work back to the restoration stages.

He also made it clear explaining that the restoration of archaeological sites is more difficult and expensive that building modern buildings.

While the Deputy Director of the GDAM, Hammam Saad, said during the symposium: “We lost many artifacts from archaeological sites, some of which were broken and others stolen, in addition to the loss of approximately 500 pieces in Idlib Governorate.”

He explained the extent of damage caused to the archaeological areas controlled by terrorist organizations besides the illegal digging with heavy machinery, indicating that repairing damage caused by war is different from reaping damage caused by an earthquake.

For her part, the curator of the National Museum in Damascus, Rima Khawam, declared that museums are cultural institutions and centers of civilization of which all countries and their peoples are proud because they preserve the memory of their civilization.”

The Department of Antiquities at the University of Damascus is providing a program to train its students on restoration and excavation work, which enabled them to participate within the Syrian-Italian archaeological excavation mission at the Tel Samhana site.

Every year on the 18th of May, International Museum Day provides an opportunity for museum professionals to alert the general public about the importance of museums and the challenges they face.

Basma Qaddour