Launch of a French Fund to Protect Lebanon’s Heritage Threatened by War
The Arab World Institute in Paris, in partnership with the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage, announced the launch of an “Emergency Fund for the Protection of Lebanese Heritage in Times of War,” supported by the French Development Agency. This initiative reflects a global mobilization to preserve cultural heritage amid current circumstances.
The announcement coincided with the opening of the exhibition “Byblos, City of a Thousand Years,” hosted by the institute, dedicated to the city of Byblos, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with roots extending back thousands of years.
A joint statement clarified that this initiative aims to express solidarity with the Lebanese people and their institutions by creating a fund dedicated to urgent interventions for the protection of archaeological sites, historical monuments, and museums, in light of the increasing threats to cultural heritage due to regional conflicts.
According to the announced data, financial contributions have been allocated to support several sites, including the Byblos site and the Tyre archaeological site, as well as the storage facilities of the Directorate General of Antiquities, as part of efforts to safeguard Lebanon’s cultural legacy.
Through this initiative, partners aim to emphasize the importance of protecting heritage as a core component of national memory and a foundation for rebuilding communities during times of crisis, ensuring that projects are implemented in close coordination with the Lebanese Ministry of Culture and the Directorate General of Antiquities, with participation from civil society actors.
In this context, Ghassan Salamé, Lebanon’s Minister of Culture, stated that this initiative represents a practical response to the urgent situation facing heritage in the country, stressing that protecting heritage during crises transcends mere memory preservation and becomes a vital factor in fostering social cohesion.
The city of Byblos holds significant historical importance, serving as a bridge between various civilizations throughout the ages, from ancient Egypt to Mesopotamia and the Aegean Sea, while also playing a pivotal role in the spread of the Phoenician alphabet, making it one of the most prominent witnesses to the history of the Mediterranean basin.
