As Ethnic and Religious Tensions Persist, the New Syria is Seeking Rebirth through Culture

On 1 January 2026, the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums outlined Syria’s new national strategy for the protection and management of cultural heritage. Spanning the period from 2025 to 2035, the strategy presents heritage as both a national and a deeply human asset, something to be safeguarded not only for its historical value, but also for its potential role in social recovery and sustainable development.[1] This marks an important shift, since for more than a decade speaking about culture in Syria has largely meant speaking about loss: destroyed libraries, looted artworks, artists forced into exile, and cultural institutions silenced by war and political repression.