Syrian Future Movement and the Protection of Antiquities
The Syrian Future Movement recognizes the necessity of preserving historical archaeological sites and expertly restoring those that are damaged, through specific international standards governed by a set of agreed-upon principles among antiquities protection specialists.
The Syrian Future Movement sees the importance of cooperation and coordination with relevant international organizations, local, regional, and international civil society organizations, universities, and associations concerned with antiquities, including the need to collaborate with leading archaeologists globally to protect Syrian antiquities and recover stolen items.
The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes the difference between the restoration process—meant as ongoing maintenance and preservation of antiquities—and the preemptive protection process to prevent damage to these artifacts.
The Syrian Future Movement considers archaeological sites a part of our cultural heritage and national history, and sees preserving them as a national duty and responsibility.
Starting from the concept of national sovereignty, the Syrian Future Movement underscores our national right to control our antiquities and make appropriate decisions about how to protect, handle, and preserve them.
The Syrian Future Movement believes in the role of historical antiquities in enhancing national identity and deepening ties to history, land, and homeland, as these artifacts reflect and contribute to the evolution of our cultural heritage and strengthen the cultural and historical identity of Syrians.
The Syrian Future Movement finds it essential to provide opportunities for education and awareness about national history and culture and deepen loyalty to the homeland.
The Syrian Future Movement believes in the need to connect the present with history, and history with the future, through fostering a dynamic and evolving national cultural identity in sync with social, political, cultural, and historical data.
The Syrian Future Movement strives to empower Syrian youth to volunteer and participate in antiquity-related activities through fundraising campaigns to revive and renew antiquities, organizing exhibitions, participating in seminars, and engaging in artistic projects to embody and promote antiquities.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for accurate documentation of Syrian antiquities by creating a database of archaeological sites, including photos and informative details about each site, facilitated by specialized academics.
The Syrian Future Movement sees the need for special attention to archaeological sites damaged by war, working on their restoration and reconstruction through precise and in-depth technical and archaeological expertise.
The Syrian Future Movement deems it necessary to train archaeological staff for museum and archaeological site work through workshops and training programs, enhancing academic and research specializations and fully supporting them.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for protecting antiquities from looting and destruction by securing archaeological sites and museums and preventing unregulated and unlicensed excavations.
The Syrian Future Movement seeks support and assistance from international organizations and interested and friendly countries regarding historical antiquities, considering them a human treasure relevant to all of humanity, regardless of gender, nationality, or culture.
The Syrian Future Movement encourages the activation of the “Antiquities Waqf Law” and urges religious leaders to support a fund to finance the protection of national antiquities, considering it a distinguished national and religious duty.
