Abdulkarim calls for Syrian-Italian cooperation to restore stolen Syrian artifacts
ROME,(ST)_ Director General of the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) Maamoun Abdulkarim recently participated in a special meeting of the Italian Parliament’s Cultural and Foreign Affairs Committee during which he explained the danger threatening the Syrian cultural and archaeological heritage because of the crimes and acts of vandalism committed by terrorist organizations against historical sites in Syria.
Abdulkarim said that thanks to the Syrian army’s efforts, the GDAM in cooperation with the Syrian government has managed to secure a considerable part of the archaeological treasures and move them to Damascus. He highly appreciated the great efforts exerted in this respect by the Syrian chief archeologist Khaled al-Asa’ad, who was savagely assassinated by the (ISIL) terrorist organization last August in Palmyar.
Abdulkarim stressed the necessity of work to restore the archeological city of Palmyra from the ISIL terrorists and condemned the international silence regarding the damage and destruction caused by the terrorists to the historical city despite the great importance of the Syrian antiquities for the world civilization.
In a press conference at the media hall of the Italian parliament attended by political and media personalities, AbdulKarim asserted Italy’s important role as a real partner in the archeological discoveries and excavations in Syria. He called for unifying and coordinating Syrian-Italian efforts as to uncover antiquities gangs and restore the stolen Syrian artifacts. He also called for reactivating cooperation in the field of archeological excavation and renovation acts as to save and protect the Syrian archeological sites from destruction.
Activities of the Italian Parliament’s Cultural and Foreign Affairs Committee aim at enhancing cultural dialogue and exchange among civil society institutions and at improving the livelihood of peoples of the countries of the Mediterranean basin.
Rawaa Ghanam