“Heroes of the Aleppo Museum” in a French film that won 17 prizes

If history and heritage represent the memory of peoples and societies, art is one of the most important tools for their preservation.When words fail to convey heroism, the role of the camera comes in preserving, documenting and transmitting the great deeds done by these people in defense of their identity and land.

A purely Syrian tale captured through the lens of French director Olivier Bourgeois, and collected in a “Docudrama”

called – “The Oath of Cyriac”.In this docudrama the heroes of the National Museum of Aleppo, including archaeologists, employees and volunteers gather for the love of their country and its history, and swear to preserve the museum’s holdings during the war.

The film re-embodied the story of protecting the Museum of Aleppo and its holdings in 2015, using archival footage of the attacks on the museum during the war, testimonies about the difficult moments and sacrifices made by the true heroes of the story, and the innovative solutions they found to fulfill that quest.

Last Wednesday evening, the audience in the Damascus Citadel watched the  first national screening of the movie “The Oath of Cyriac.” The audience lived through breathtaking moments as they saw how the heroes preserved the history of their homeland with courage, wisdom and responsibility.

In this context, the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums and the Ministry of Culture have the right to celebrate this film with its director Olivier Bourgeois in an evening full of history, Syrian identity and the courage that was embodied during the event by Syrian heroes of civilization and history. They were described by the Minister of Culture, Dr. Lubbana Mushauh as: “The loyal guards of the homeland’s antiquities,” stressing that “the terrorist war wanted to affect the values, identity and heritage of the homeland and everything that constitutes the true value of the Syrian existence.”

The Syrian Trust for Development was present with its message and thought to support the production and presentation of the film, which won 17 international awards during its European screenings for the idea and message it presented and its importance in building the future and peace, while saluting its true heroes who faced a terrible ordeal in 2015. These heroes strove to save the artifacts, which number up to 24,000 pieces – to save them from an  unknown fate, and they were able, with their dedication, to transport all these pieces to a safe place. The Trust is committed  to preserve the Syrian cultural identity rooted in history and to protect that identity and history for future generations.

A salute to the heroes of the Aleppo National Museum, who are: Director General of Antiquities and Museums Nazir Awad, former Director General of Antiquities and Museums Mamoun Abdel Karim, Director of Aleppo Museum Muhammad Bashar al-Shaabani, Assistant Director General of Antiquities and Museums Hammam Saad, curator of Aleppo Museum Ahmed Othman, former Director of Aleppo Antiquities and Museums Eng. Khaled al-Masri, and curator of the Classical Museum of Aleppo Despina Beslan, Archaeological Protection Officer Tariq Abu Ali, and Director of Al-Basel Center for Archaeological Research Ahmed Deeb.

K.Q.