The Lebanese Culture Ministry launched the 'Archiving Lebanon’s Heritage' platform on 20 October at the National Library in Beirut. Developed in partnership with the Heritage International Institute (HII) and other international organizations, the digital project aims to preserve endangered cultural materials. Sarkis Khoury, Lebanon’s Director General of Antiquities, stated: "Our story does not end with these losses or with the damage to our tangible and intangible heritage. We are the ones who create our heritage, as we have throughout history. Our memories help save what remains." The initiative establishes a central repository for records currently threatened by regional instability. Lebanese officials intend for the database to secure cultural data for future generations.
Scale of War Damage
Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salame assessed the impact of recent conflict on the nation’s cultural infrastructure. He noted that war-related damage to heritage sites and records represents a significant financial and structural loss for the country. Regarding the economic scale of the destruction, Ghassan Salame stated, "I cannot put a precise figure on these losses. They certainly exceed millions of dollars, and restoring what was damaged could take an entire generation."
The minister emphasized that the material at risk extends beyond publicly recorded sites to private holdings. Reflecting on the challenge of documenting these dispersed items, Ghassan Salame said, "These are treasures hidden in homes and within families." The digital archive aims to address this vulnerability by providing a secure repository for documentation. By capturing records of sites and artifacts before further deterioration occurs, authorities hope to mitigate the long-term effects of the war on the national record.
International Support and Preservation
Italy has provided technical and financial assistance for the restoration of the Beirut National Museum and the Mar Mikhael railway station. These projects, supported by Italian authorities, focus on stabilizing structures damaged during periods of regional instability. Fabrizio Marcelli and Sergio Iovino coordinated the delivery of resources to these sites to ensure the preservation of architectural elements. The restoration work represents part of a broader collaboration between Italian institutions and the Lebanese Directorate General of Antiquities to maintain access to cultural landmarks.
Regarding the digital archive, the platform includes a protocol designed to protect the rights of private citizens who contribute materials. Contributors retain full ownership and intellectual property rights over any digital submissions they upload to the database. This policy intends to encourage families and private collectors to share records of items currently held in homes without fear of losing legal control over their possessions. By establishing these protections, the Heritage International Institute and the Lebanese Culture Ministry aim to facilitate the documentation of dispersed items that might otherwise remain outside the public record. The repository accepts various formats of digital media, allowing participants to manage how their submissions are displayed and accessed within the online system.
