Reconstruction of Old Aleppo: LUGARIT's Keynote at Pergamon Museum

27 September 2023  -  Berlin, Germany

The Pergamon Museum in Berlin, Germany, recently hosted the International Network Meeting; an event underlining the critical importance of Syria's cultural heritage.  This gathering was a part of the Syrian Heritage Initiative at the Museum für Islamische Kunst, aimed at documenting and preserving Syria's rich cultural legacy.

The event, a specialized workshop, marked a significant milestone, celebrating the ten-year efforts of the Syrian Heritage Archive Project.  It also served as the launch platform for a book on the old residential architecture of Aleppo, providing insights into this ancient city's historical fabric.

Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj, a Partner at LUGARIT, was invited to start the opening session with a presentation "The Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Old Aleppo: Challenges and Possibilities." His talk delved into the complexities of restoring Aleppo's heritage, addressing crucial aspects such as economic challenges, social reconciliation, governance issues, human resource losses, and the sustainability of rehabilitation efforts. His insights set the tone for the subsequent panel discussions.

The workshop then unfolded into various thematic sessions, each addressing critical facets of Aleppo's heritage. Topics ranged from the early urban recovery of Aleppo, focusing on emergency response and recovery in historic cities under crisis, to exploring the underrepresented traditional residential architecture of Aleppo's courtyard houses. The sessions also included discussions on archives and community outreach, emphasizing communication strategies, storytelling practices, and democratizing knowledge production and dissemination.

Aziz's closing remarks and summary encapsulated the day's discussions, highlighting the collective commitment to preserving Aleppo's living cultural heritage. The event was not just a commemoration of past efforts but also a forward-looking platform, setting the stage for future endeavours and conservation initiatives. 

Header Photo

Ruins near the citadel in Old City of Aleppo, Syria.  Photo © Sebastián Liste/Noor Images - via The New York Times.  Link >

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