Edinburgh World Heritage will be drafted in to help restore several of Syria’s most historic sites, including the ancient cities of Aleppo, Damascus, and Bosra.
Bosses said “on-the-ground expertise” will be provided alongside “knowledge exchange” as soon as hostilities have stopped. Many of Syria’s most celebrated World Heritage sites have been damaged following an onslaught of recent shelling, looting and military occupation.
Last year, satellite imagery showed Isis troops had destroyed key buildings in the historic city of Palmyra, where archaeological treasures date back to the Neolithic period.
Adam Wilkinson, director of Edinburgh World Heritage, said Edinburgh “leads the world in community-based heritage conservation within dynamic urban environments” and “stands ready to help the communities of Syria conserve and restore its urban heritage”.
Photo credit: United Nations