Restoration of cultural heritage and urban identity in Syria-Urban recovery Framework

This document delves into the profound impact of the ongoing crisis on the urban heritage of Syrian cities, highlighting the extensive damage inflicted on cultural heritage sites and buildings, and it emphasizes the importance of integrating cultural heritage considerations into post-crisis urban recovery planning to address the challenges faced by historic contexts and to leverage the diverse opportunities that cultural heritage offers for urban recovery strategies. It underscores the critical role of private house owners in the reconstruction of urban heritage sites in the long term and emphasizes the interconnectedness of urban heritage sites within larger ecologies of structures, spaces, and practices.

Furthermore, it underscores the devastating consequences of the conflict on Syria's cultural heritage of both national and global significance, resulting in the fragmentation of cities' socio-cultural fabric and local identities. With Syrian cities serving as hosts to internally displaced persons, the pressure on already scarce resources, including heritage buildings and sites, is escalating. The weakened governance, coupled with competing humanitarian needs and limited financial resources, poses significant challenges to local governments in safeguarding traditional neighborhoods and over 1200 sites of cultural, religious, and historical importance in the country.