"Preserving Heritage and Identity": A scientific Symposium at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Damascus University organized a scientific symposium entitled "Preserving Heritage and Identity", in which challenges facing heritage and cultural identity, social changes, and the role of Arabic in promoting national identity were discussed.

Vice President of Damascus University, Dr. Maysaa Al-Sioufi, stressed that heritage represents the memory of peoples and their history, and is a means to preserve the uniqueness of national identity in light of the accelerating global challenges.

Dr. Al-Sioufi highlighted the efforts made by the University and research centers in preserving heritage, by launching specialized research projects to study local heritage, organizing seminars and conferences that shed light on heritage issues, pointing out that it requires concerted efforts between academic and community institutions, and cooperation with government agencies and international organizations.

Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Dr. Ali Allaham, stressed the vital role played by the faculty in promoting awareness of the importance of heritage and national identity, and that heritage is not just a reminiscent past, but a living part of the present and the future, which contributes to building a coherent cultural identity, and encourages students to conduct in-depth research that sheds light on the national heritage and ways to protect it.

Dr. Allaham pointed out that the faculty offers specialized postgraduate programs in the field of heritage, as it provides master’s degrees in heritage that aim to enhance academic research in this vital field, and focuses on studying it in its various dimensions, including tangible heritage (archaeology and historical monuments) and intangible heritage (customs, traditions and ancient languages).

Scientific coordinator of the symposium, Dr. Amal Dakkak, explained that the Faculty of Arts and Humanities is continuously working to develop its academic programs in line with the needs of preserving national heritage.

The opening ceremony included a video presentation on tangible and intangible heritage in Syria, and a section honoring a number of professors and researchers at the Faculty of Arts. The two-day scientific symposium was attended by a number of faculty professors, graduate students, and a number of those interested in heritage and cultural issues.