Syrian-born author and humanitarian Siwar Al Assad is renewing calls for stronger international cooperation to protect Syria’s cultural heritage, following recent reports highlighting continued threats to historical artifacts and sites across the country.
Recent coverage by international media has drawn attention to the vulnerability of museums, archaeological sites, and cultural institutions in post-conflict environments, including Syria. Years of war have weakened oversight and protection mechanisms, leaving artifacts exposed to theft, trafficking, and irreversible damage.
Al Assad, whose work has long emphasized the role of cultural memory in post-conflict recovery, has consistently argued that heritage preservation is not a symbolic concern but a practical necessity. Cultural artifacts, he notes, carry collective identity, historical continuity, and educational value that future generations depend on when rebuilding social trust.
Through his London-based Aramea Foundation, Al Assad has supported initiatives focused on documentation, awareness, and collaboration with historians, archivists, and members of the Syrian diaspora. These efforts aim to preserve records of Syria’s material and cultural history while encouraging international institutions to take a more active role in safeguarding endangered heritage.
Al Assad has also addressed the subject through his writing. His earlier work, Palmyre pour toujours, examined the historical and symbolic significance of Palmyra and the broader implications of cultural loss during conflict. More recently, his nonfiction book Damascus Has Fallen situates cultural destruction alongside institutional collapse, showing how the erosion of heritage often parallels the breakdown of civic life.
Experts in cultural preservation have increasingly warned that the post-conflict period presents heightened risks, as economic pressure and weakened governance create conditions conducive to looting and illicit trade. Al Assad’s position aligns with broader calls from international heritage organizations urging proactive protection, documentation, and accountability.
By highlighting these concerns, Al Assad emphasizes that rebuilding Syria will require more than physical reconstruction. Preserving cultural heritage, he argues, is essential to restoring dignity, continuity, and a shared sense of belonging among displaced and returning communities.
About the Author:
Siwar Al Assad is a multilingual Syrian author known for A Coeur Perdu, Guard Thy Heart, Le Temps d’une Saison, and Palmyre Pour Toujours. He is the founder of the Aramea Foundation and serves as the director of Arab News Network. His fiction and nonfiction work explores themes of identity, memory, exile, and emotional recovery.

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