Since May 2023, Fight for Humanity, with the support of the ALIPH Foundation and in partnership with its local partner, Orient Association, has been working to protect 200 valuable mosaic panels in Raqqa and to document thousands of artefacts in Manbij with the objective to promote this invaluable heritage for peace and reconciliation.
The team started with the securitization of a warehouse that hosts around 200 mosaic panels near Raqqa. Before the war, this warehouse used to host thousands of artefacts, that were all stolen with the exception of these 200 mosaic panels, some of which were vandalized. After these emergency measures the team took conservation measures: they were identified and placed in 5 allocated areas and were then distributed based on their place of discovery. Once the sorting and extraction were complete, the panels were photographed, and the scenes depicted were studied and described. Data specific to each panel, including measurements, the overall condition, were also recorded.
In addition, the team documented more than 800 artefacts from Menbij since last August. Some of the artefacts were confiscated and secured by the SDF and some others were found by people coincidentally and then handed over to the administration. These documentations provide a better understanding and the preservation of the cultural and historical significance they hold.
Moreover, the Orient Association conducted 10 dissemination sessions for the security forces, that focused on strategies to combat illicit trafficking and protection of cultural heritage.
In the recent week, as part of our commitment to the project's continued success, Fight for Humanity retained an external consultant to evaluate the progress achieved over the last three years. The monitoring visit was concluded in October.