Save Syria’s Cultural Heritage – AVAAZ

Article  •  Publié sur Souria Houria le 25 juin 2012

BANEA has launched a petition seeking protection for Syria’s cultural heritage.

Created by : Jan Picton* United Kingdom

To be delivered to : British Government, UNESCO and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM)

Date : 25/06/2012

Why this is important

Syria’s cultural heritage is rich and complex, dating back millennia. Home to a succession of empires, Syria claims some of the earliest cities in human history, if not the earliest. This heritage is being destroyed in the current conflict.

We hope you can sign it, support it and promote it through any contacts or avenues available to you.

TEXT of the petition :

Save Syria’s Cultural Heritage The worsening situation in Syria places
thousands of archaeological sites in immediate danger of current and
future looting. A full discussion of the sites affected can be found
here: Cunliffe, Emma. 2012, Damage to the Soul: Syria’s Cultural
Heritage in Conflict. 16 May 2012. Global Heritage Fund. The British
Associate of Near Eastern Archaeology (BANEA) and other interested
parties call on the British Government, UNESCO and the International
Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural
Property (ICCROM) to protest to all parties to the conflict and
petition for: 1. The removal of armed encampments, troops and weaponry
from archaeological sites, 2. protection of archaeological sites and
museums from looting, 3. recovery of stolen artefacts and the
prosecution of the thieves and those who benefit from the thefts.
Updates and information can be found at www.banea.org

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Save_Syrias_Cultural_Heritage_1/?tta

—
*Jan Picton
Secretary, Friends of the Petrie Museum. www.petrie.ucl.ac.uk
Teaching Fellow, Institute of Archaeology, UCL. j.picton@ucl.ac.uk
Gurob Harem Palace Project, www.gurob.org.uk
Home email: janpicton@ijnet.demon.co.uk. Tel: 07761 823129