Damascus, Dec.13 (SANA) Director-General of Antiquities and Museums Anas Hajj Zeidan, discussed Friday with the Italian Ambassador in Damascus Stefano Ravagnan ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of cultural heritage preservation.
Talks during the meeting focused on two vital projects; the rehabilitation and development of the garden of the National Museum in Damascus to become an integrated cultural and green space, and the restoration of the archaeological structure in Palmyra, with the aim of preserving historically significant artifacts of the great importance.
Both sides emphasized the depth of cultural relations between the two countries and their shared commitment to protecting Syria’s civilizational heritage, which is considered an inseparable part of the world’s human heritage.
Syrian–Italian cooperation in the field of archaeology dates back to several decades, during which Italian archaeological missions participated in excavation works and field studies at a number of sites, most notably Palmyra and Ugarit.
These missions contributed to documenting important discoveries and supporting training and capacity-building programs for Syrian professionals, thereby strengthening national expertise in heritage conservation and preservation.
