Ancient Villages of Northern Syria

Before the conflict:

• Legal framework (Protection Policy does not adequately integrate cultural landscapes)
• Financial resources
• Human resources
• Housing (Development or infrastructure projects)
• Management System/Management Plan (Management Plan still incomplete and lack of an Action Plan)

Since March 2011:

• Armed conflict (destruction and damage due to the armed conflict)
• Illegal activities (use of ancient stones as building material, illegal constructions and excavations, use of the sites by internally displaced people)
• Military training (use of the sites by armed groups)
• Deliberate destruction of heritage
• Quarrying
• Land conversion
• Earthquake (February 2023 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks)

Destruction as well as ascertained and potential threats consequent to the armed conflict in Syria that started in March 2011

Not yet drafted

Not yet identified

Not yet identified

Total amount provided to the six Syrian World Heritage properties: 200,000 euros by the Italian Government; for built, movable and intangible heritage: 2.46 million euros by the European Union, USD 170,000 by the Flemish Government, 63,000 euros by the Austrian Government, USD 200,000 by the German Government; for cultural heritage under conflict: USD 200,000 by the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage in Bahrain.

On 11 January 2024, the State Party submitted state of conservation reports for the six Syrian World Heritage properties, which are available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1348/documents/, and include very brief information about the property and its state of conservation, as follows:

• Access to the property is still extremely limited and consequently, the extent of the damage cannot be assessed;
• Extensive damage has been reported by the media at the monastery buildings and fortress structures at Qala’t Sem’an, in the archaeological park of Jebel Sem’an, due to the February 2023 earthquake.

No further information is provided in the State Party report.

The State Party confirms some of the information provided by third parties last year that there has been damage to Qal’at Sem’an caused by the February 2023 earthquake, with no new details provided.

Reports previously received from third parties included photographs of collapsed walls and ceilings, and cracks in walls at the archaeological parks of Jebel Zawiye, Jebel al-A’la, Jebel Barisha, Jebel Wastani and Jebel Sem’an, which is when the collapse of an arch of the western basilica at Qal’at Sem’an was first reported.

Owing to the inaccessibility of the property and ongoing conflict in the region, very little substantive new information has been reported since the 41st session of the Committee in 2017, other than sporadic third part reports and examination of satellite imagery. This lack of verifiable information about the state of conservation of the property remains a great source of concern, which has been aggravated by the lack of detailed information related to the impact of the 2023 earthquake.

A full detailed on-site assessment of the damage remains essential to assess the overall state of conservation of the property and to identify the measures needed for ensuring its conservation and protection. Such assessment should be undertaken as soon as the security situation allows. In due course, the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) would need to be developed and the associated set of corrective measures identified.

Given the previously reported illicit excavation at the property, it is recommended that the Committee reiterate its appeal to the Member States of UNESCO to fulfil their obligations under international law, especially the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2347 of March 2017.