Why is a need to create an Arab Network of CSOs to Safeguard Cultural Heritage?
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By 2012, the Directorate-General of Antiquities & Museums (DGAM) was unable to intervene in many archaeological sites, especially in Idleb, southern and western parts of Aleppo, and the northern part of Hama. Many DGAM employees in those areas were no longer under the remit of the Syrian government and this urgent need to act during the conflict was the main reason for creating the Syrian Center for Cultural Heritage Protection. A group of volunteers comprising former employees of the DGAM founded the center as an alternative institution. The actions taken by the Syrian Center for Cultural Heritage during the conflict include documenting smuggled antiquities, documentation of damaged and destroyed sites, awareness-raising actions in the local communities and first aid and emergency measures at different sites.
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The Center works independently, without any political affiliation to any group, and has been cooperating with several international heritage organizations. Heritage for Peace has supported them through training programs in Damage Assessment (Heritage For Peace, 2014), and the on-going development of the SHELTr training program in 2018 (Gerda Henkel Stiftung 2016). The Center also received support from the SHOSI Initiative (Safeguarding the Heritage of Syria and Iraq), which is a consortium of several institutions and local Syrians, activists, archaeologists, and museum staff - (including some members of the Antiquities Center in Free Idlib). It organized an emergency workshop providing the participants with basic supplies for packing and securing museum collections. In May, the museum was hit in an airstrike, but the protection measures they implemented protected them. The project’s in-country team conducted a systematic looting documentation and applied emergency protection to most endangered structures.
ACNES was established by Kurdish authorities in the autonomous region Rojava, in North and East Syria. Its previous name in 2014 was the Authority of Culture and Protection of Antiquities in al Jazira Canton but later in 2018 changed to the current name The Authority of Culture in Self-Management in North and East Syria (ACNES). Since the start of the conflict in 2011, all 20 missions that were active in the province left the country. The absence of security in the region led to looting, illegal excavation, and vandalism, and some archaeological sites became places of combat between the Islamic State and the Kurdish military groups. The need to act and to protect archaeological sites led to the creation of this Authority as a civil society organization. The team includes fifteen archaeologists, five architects, one Journalist and 20 archaeological sites guards, who are independent from the Syrian Democratic Forces.
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A civil society, non-profit, non-governmental organization founded on 1/7/2017 to support developmental stability and support societal stability in accordance with the values of humanitarian work and work to revive and protect heritage (tangible, intangible and cultural) to preserve it and contribute to the restoration of social stability, which helps revive the societal memory of societies emerging from war and contribute to reviving heritage in the region due to the important role that heritage plays in Social reconstruction, re-feeling of identity and belonging, achieving reconciliation in societies emerging from conflict, community cohesion and peace building.
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"(YETIM SULTAN HAYIR İŞLERİ DERNEĞİ) is a non-profit and neutral organization whose mission is to support the affected Syrian people by the war such as orphans, poor, and any helpless. The Foundation also seeks to support projects concerned with the Syrian cultural heritage and the preservation of it.
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Living Mesopotamia (LM) is a newly established Iraqi NGO whose goals are to promote and protect Iraq’s historically rich heritage. Rehabilitating Iraq’s severely degraded cultural infrastructure is a key concern of LM’s work.
LM focuses on the sustainable development and cultural continuity of heritage that has bore the brunt of decades of war and conflict. Our activities criss-cross complex and fragmented political and cultural geographies and communities. We work with various cultural groups of different backgrounds to ensure that culture is used for building peace rather than to marginalise and disenfranchise constituencies and whole-group communities.
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Marine Science center (MSC) is a scientific research institution at the University of Basra. In addition to studying the water bodies including the marshes, lakes, rivers, coastal areas, and the Persian/Arabian Gulf, the MSC is also interested in studying the ancient and recent environments and heritage of the Mesopotamian region, in particular, investigations of the environmental and social evolution happening in the heritage of southern marshes. Several works have been done related to the assessment of the environmental and human impacts on the local communities living there, attempting to find useful applicable solutions for a better life with maintaining their own heritage, bringing awareness to these people on the importance of the marsh legacy, and encouraging them to protect their archeological heritage and traditional living patterns specifically after the liberation in 2003 and the conflicts.
It is a non-governmental organization established as a neutral organization to build the capabilities of Iraqi youth. The organization seeks to achieve its goals by developing courses in leadership skills and abilities, holding seminars and conferences on human rights and democracy for all levels of society, orgizing workshops to reject all forms of violence in all areas of life. It also organizes cultural and artistic events and festivals that aim to spread national reconciliation to all components and segments of Iraqi society. The orgaization have coordinated with activist organization to inviolve their employees in training sessions to gain skills and knowledge, within and outside Iraq,
and have partnered with youth organizations and organizations of civil society on regional and international conferences and humanitarian and cultural projects,
The organization is a non- governmental organization that takes care of students and talented people, develops their skills and cares for them. The organization has worked in southern Iraq over the past years to support handicraft owners and has also allocated funds to hold exhibitions to market their products. The organization also obtained a grant from the Global Heritage Fund in coordination with the EAMENA project to assess threats to archaeological sites in Dhi Qar Governorate, southern Iraq. The main objectives of the organization are working to raise the standard of living for the needy of the local community with the help of donor organizations, cooperating for sustainable, human, social and economic development through heritage, giving priority to education as an effective tool for development and supporting and adopting ideas aimed at spreading archaeological and heritage awareness in Iraq.
The Organization is interested in the protecting of cultural heritage and antiquities in Iraq. Since its creation in late 2016, by archaeologists working in the preservation of antiquities and heritage, on the field, or in the Iraqi Museum, and even before getting official representation, it has organized trips to the ancient cities of Mesopotamia for hundreds of people interested in archeology, who care about history and civilization. The trips included lectures to demonstrate the importance of those sites in contributing to increasing cultural awareness in society. It also organized exhibitions of traditional crafts in Baghdad and contributed to sending books to libraries that were burned by ISIS.
"The Inspectorate of Antiquities and Heritage of Anbar is a government institution concerned with the protection, excavation, restoration, maintenance and archaeological survey of all archaeological sites in Anbar provinces in the Republic of Iraq. It also supervises the display of its antiquities in two museums located within the geographical area of the governorate, in addition to instituting juridcal claims against persons who have caused any harm.
Some of the objectives of the Inspectorate are to strengthen the protection of all kinds of cultural heritage in the province in times of conflict and times of peace, document the damages to archaeological and heritage sites, museums, buildings and monuments, develop protection plans and rescue excavations for high-risk and endangered sites, hold public seminars for citizens to introduce the importance of cultural heritage and the need to preserve it.
and finally to communicate regularly with local governments,"
"Heritage and Antiquities Office of Diwaniyah Province is a governmental that has been established in 1970 and consists of 20 archaeologists, 300 site guards, 30 drivers, 5 administrators, and 4 accountants. The main
duty of the office, in general, is to cover all works related to cultural and archaeological heritage and museums in the Diwaniyah Governorate.It also works to protect all archaeological sites in the region from any threatening actions and to preserve these sites and their maintenance. Excavations, surveys and documentation were conducted by the office in more than 780 archaeological sites in different places in the governorate, and accordingly, many maps, reports and publications were published.
The office works hard to convey the historical and cultural information about the civilization of the country by supporting the archeological heritages and museums."
"Dilnewa is a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit social and cultural organization. It was founded
in the heart of economic and ISIS crisis that faced the Kurdistan Region and Iraq in April 2015.The idea arose out of the massive humanitarian crisis in which nearly two million refugees and internally displaced persons were forced to migrate from outside and inside Iraq. It also aims to help the needy in Iraq and all over the world without regard for religious, ethnic or linguistic bias. It works to enhance the capabilities of the individuals to take advantage of the available youth power and try to direct them towards endeavors that are more beneficial by organizing various events and activities.
Dilnewa is working in different sectors with different activities including Education, Health, Social Sector and
Cultural Sector."
"The foundation has several committees for human rights levels. The "" General Committee for Heritage
and Archeological Protection"" is the committee specialized in everything related to heritage, antiquities and protection issues, as a result of the weak security situation in the province (Alnajaf) and all the
country for the last seventeen years. Since its foundation in 2015, the
committee has been working to protect heritage and antiquitiesl on two levels; First, the committee
cooperates with governmental security centers in the province to monitor any suspicious behavior
towards heritage and archeological affairs. Second, it works with civic centers such as universities, institutions and organizations that deal with issues of heritage and antiquities. Therefore, the committee has many contributions in this field."
"It is clear to everyone that government offices have a heavy duty with regard to issues of heritage and antiquities at all levels, and with the weak security situation in Iraq, the responsibility towards preserving historical sites in the region increases more and more. The Nebuchadnezzar Museum Office is located in the center of the ancient city of Babylon (in Mesopotamia), which is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world; therefore it needs to cover the area with guards and security system. Moreover, tourists must be monitored and escorted to prevent any handling of museum items.
The office's responsibility is to protect all areas and tourists and prevent from all types of
dangers and crises. "
This union consists of five Libyan municipalities, which are located close to the administrative borders with World Heritage Sites. They are Al-khums (Leptis Magna) Sabratha, Shahat (Cyrene) Ghadems (Cydamus) and Ghat. According to World Heritage Convention 1972, the state party is under the obligation of its protection and its management plans.
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After the decision of the World Heritage Committee to place the five World Heritage sites of Libya on the List of World Heritage in Danger because of damage caused by the conflict affecting the country and the threat of further damage it poses, five Libyan municipalities signed a document to establish the World Heritage Union in Libya. In fact, this is a response to the repeated demands by the World Heritage Committee and encouraging participation of the local population in the preservation of the heritage.
The foundation’s main goals are the preservation of Libyan World Heritage Sites and adding new sites on the world heritage list and eventually attempt to remove the Libyan world heritage sites from the list of world heritage in danger as soon as possible.
In order to achieve its mission, the foundation has been engaged in communicating with the Libyan government (department of antiquity, department of buildings and department of ancient cities) and also support and submit proposals and studies on these sites through the local authority. To ensure the protection and preservation of the ancient sites, the foundation has been holding symposia and workshops to encourage the local community to raise the cultural awareness about the importance of heritage, while cooperating with the municipal authorities.
"Atwar organization: Seeks to be a point of intellectual and awareness raising tool for
sustainable development based on social justice, democratic empowerment and cultural diversity in the
countries of the middle east and North Africa.
Its mission is to conduct research and surveys measuring opinion trends and follow up with the civil
society movement to build youth capacities, empower women and support their rights.
Balagrey is an association that works in the field of the protection of archaeological heritage.
After some citizens exposed the site of the ancient city of Balagrey to the danger of residential illegal constructions, the association led many demonstrations against the local authorities. As a result of these protests, the authorities agreed on the construction of a concrete fence around the ancient city of Balagrey, which also led to building a concrete wall around the archaeological site of Sirah Batrou, after it was attacked by some locals.
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The Tripolitanian Society, formed in 2011, consists of a network of civil society organizations (Tripoli Heritage Foundation, Origin Tripoli Forum, Tripoli National Rally, Communication Group, Tripoli National Conference, Libya Organization, Libya Forum, and Atwar Organization for Research and Development).
The network has collaborated on projects related to the sustainable development goals and is currently working on an environmental project, consisting of conducting a study and creating a waste management plan in Tripoli. The network partners are also working on a study to implement a solution around Tripoli with particular focus on the old city as a step towards its preservation.
This is an institution concerned with human development, tourism, heritage and archaeology. It has been working on preserving historic identities through training and awareness activities and programs. It has been adopting projects that range from restoring ancient monuments and historic houses to documenting the tangible and intangible heritage.
It strives for sustainable development and comprehensive preservation of the national identity, customs and traditions, which are derived from the historical depth of Yemen.
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The institution has organized and participated in conferences, consultative meetings and workshops, both nationally and internationally. It has been involved in documenting and publishing studies and information related to antiquities, tourism, history and heritage of the Republic of Yemen, in encouraging domestic tourism, through trips and field visits to archaeological sites, to introduce the importance of tourist and archaeological sites and monuments. It has also urged the competent and professional authorities to take care of the archaeological monuments and provide the necessary services.
Balki’s Throne Foundation’s latest projects include: an awareness raising project in the cultural and historical tourism sector to preserve the Yemeni identity; training internally displaced people in handicrafts, artisanal industries and different fields; organizing exhibitions nationally and internationally to market and promote their work; and providing courses on the importance of artefacts and the effects of illicit trafficking and illegal excavations.
"Sanid Organization is a non–governmental, non-profit and non-partisan organization that works
independently in the whole country of Yemen. Although it commenced operation as a youth initiative, it was
officially established in 2014 by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour Office . Since its establishment, the organization has implemented a variety of programs in food distribution, improvement of livelihoods, health care and treatment of malnutrition among the children under 5 years of age, pregnant and lactating women and WASH in the most of the Governorates of Yemen."
Tahdeeth Development Foundation is a non-governmental, non-profit, developmental organization that seeks, through its programs and activities, to participate in achieving sustainable development and peace building through capacity building and the promotion of rights and freedoms in society. The foundation is a pioneering institution that works on involving the local community in protecting and managing cultural heritage and enhancing the role of dialogue and openness to achieve mutual understanding between peoples and cultures.
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The Foundation has been engaged in several activities, including the implementation of an awareness campaign on the archaeological and historical sites in four governorates, where several heritage sites have been visited and the customs and traditions of the community have been documented and published on social media, to raise awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage diversity.
The Foundation has also participated in the organization of the Heritage Festival in the name of First People Games. The festival's goal is to establish events for historic games that were played in Aden before their disappearance. The festival was held in a public square in the old way of Aden.
The Center for Architectural Studies and Training was established to play a role in designing and implementing policies, programs and plans for preserving historical cities and protecting cultural heritage. The Center has been carrying out scientific studies and field research, setting up awareness activities on heritage preservation and capacity building training on traditional building maintenance and restoration techniques.
Among the tasks of the Center for Studies and Architectural Training is surveying and documenting all historical sites, monuments, and areas including mosques, schools, squares, spaces, bathhouses, etc.
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The Center works in the preservation of cultural heritage and traditional Yemeni crafts. It is also concerned with raising awareness on the importance of Yemeni cultural heritage by organizing capacity building workshops and training in preserving and renewing heritage.
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The Center’s most recent achievements include: the completion of a documentation book for steam baths in the Old City of Sanaa, which is an architectural, ethnographic and historical documentary study, a media brochure, a map of Yemeni saunas in the Old City of Sanaa and a tourist map in Arabic.
The Center works on reviving traditional professions in Yemen by providing technical, cultural and historical consultations for craftspersons and those interested in the field of developing Yemeni heritage. The Center cooperates with Yemeni craftspersons in the Old City of Sanaa on designing pieces of furniture inspired by Yemeni heritage and by encouraging them to display their designs. In addition, the Center organizes various events and cultural seminars on the importance of cultural heritage and its preservation with the implementation of voluntary artistic workshops for Yemeni youth and plastic artists.
"The association works on training women, girls and youth on Heritage handicrafts in order to obtain additional income for medium and low-income families. Girls and youth are trained in various activities such as sewing, traditional embroidery, henna drawing, , pottery and the making of Yemeni incents.
In addition to cultural training courses, it raises awareness of the prevention of diseases such as malaria, hepatitis, reproductive health, violence against women, child protection, and training courses on artistic work such as drawing and photography.
"Al-Hudhud Center is the first specialized cultural center in archaeological studies in Yemen, and is managed
by a number of academics and specialists in the archeology field.
Its goals are to contribute to spreading awareness, introducing Yemen's archaeological, historical and tourist heritage to
the local and international community, the conservation of antiquities and archaeological sites.
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"The foundation works in the field of cultural heritage protection and community awareness to preserve and study it. It also works in the humanitarian and relief field by focusing on women and children affairs. It objective is to spread the values of
tolerance among the members of society."
YKRB Foundation is interested in Yemeni culture and heritage and works to support culture and heritage in the Republic of Yemen by building capacities and training workers in the field of heritage, and promoting youth participation in preserving heritage and spreading awareness among members of society on the importance of heritage.
Ruaa centre for strategic studies, consultancy and training is a non-profit civic foundation concerned with preparing scientific studies and research in the political, social, economic, cultural and educational fields, in addition to consultancy and training sessions that enhance the skills of the youth and women and working on raising social awareness and responding to emergency issues. The organization works on reaching leadership in the development of human, cultural, moral, economic, political and social fields through interactions in the public and specific spaces. The foundation's mission is to make significant change in the society and respond to emergent phenomenas that affect negatively the society and attempt to deface theYemeni cultural identity.
"The Center aims at enriching the arts, disseminating heritage, supporting cultural development and preserving
the artistic cultural heritage and employing it in public life.
It works on raising public awareness and the importance of the components of the cultural heritage of the
community and building the skills and abilities in cultural and artistic heritage practices in colleges and schools.
The center also aims at employing the elements of cultural and artistic heritage to provide education and work for young people and to enhance the respect and appreciation for professionals, employing the elements of cultural and artistic heritage to promote human rights and social peace, and the ethics of peaceful coexistence, acceptance of others, and building society and carrying out awareness activities through social media."
