UNESCO is returning to Syria with a pilot project dedicated to the Damascus National Museum, marking the resumption of activities in the country after more than fourteen years of absence. The initiative, launched following a high-level institutional mission, includes cultural first aid measures, training and digitization of heritage, with the aim of contributing to the economic recovery and resilience of Syrian society. The decision to resume activities in Syria comes fourteen years after the last cooperation between the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the regime of Bashar al-Assad. After years of suspension, related to the aftermath of the conflict that began in 2011 and the breakdown of institutional relations, UNESCO chose to reintroduce an operational presence in the country, identifying the National Museum of Damascus as the starting point for a new phase of intervention. The museum facility, founded in 1919, is considered one of the oldest cultural institutions in the Middle East. Its collections reflect Syria’s rich history, housing artifacts documenting millennia of civilization and cultural exchange in the Levant basin. The museum was forced to close in 2012, at the height of armed hostilities, and only partially reopened in 2018. In January 2025 it officially resumed welcoming visitors, marking a remarkable milestone in the process of normalizing and restoring cultural heritage damaged or neglected during the conflict.
The new UNESCO project was developed in collaboration with national partners and the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums. The intervention plan includes a series of immediate emergency measures to secure and upgrade museum infrastructure, optimize internal management, improve the preservation and security conditions of exhibits and objects in storage, and initiate a process of restoration and digitization of documentary heritage. The operation also aims to create new qualified employment opportunities and revive the role of the museum as an active player in the promotion of culture and social cohesion. To this end, the initiative includes the production of educational materials for students and specific training of museum staff in civic and cultural education. The initial budget allocated for the project is US$175,000. Planned activities will take place over several months and include contingency planning, restoration of damaged objects, digitization of documentary heritage, and organization of training workshops on inventorying, museography, and heritage education.
“The Damascus National Museum houses exceptional archaeological collections with value that are deeply rooted in Syria’s history and resonate with the rest of humanity,” says Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s deputy director-general for culture. “UNESCO will continue its efforts to galvanize support for this exceptional museum and Syria’s diverse cultural heritage.”
The resumption of operations in Syria was preceded by an official mission led in late May by Margaux Bergeon-Dars, Chief of Cabinet of UNESCO’s Director-General. During the visit, the delegation met with representatives of the provisional authorities and relevant ministries in the Organization’s areas of operation. The main objective of the mission was to discuss possible forms of support for the Syrian reconstruction process and to define, together with local counterparts, strategic priorities for the revitalization of activities in the fields of culture, education, information and media. Following these meetings, UNESCO developed an Action Plan for Transition in Syria, consistent with the decision submitted by Germany and approved by consensus last April during the UNESCO Executive Committee. This policy document outlines the areas and modalities of intervention, envisaging a gradual but structured involvement, supported also by new financial commitments made available by international partners. The project at the National Museum thus represents the first concrete step in the new operational approach designed to promote the country’s economic resilience and sustainable recovery through the enhancement of cultural heritage.
UNESCO confirmed its intention to continue working with both Syrian institutions and the international actors involved to ensure the implementation of the planned initiatives and their long-term effectiveness. The operation at the Damascus National Museum, while limited in resources and scale for now, therefore takes on significant symbolic and operational value as a test case for the effectiveness of new models of cooperation in post-conflict contexts. UNESCO has made it clear that the success of this initiative will also depend on the coordinated contribution of its partners, transparency in resource management, and the ability to strengthen local expertise in a lasting way.
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| UNESCO returns to Syria after 14 years with an intervention at Damascus National Museum |
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