ALIPH Annual report 2022

Protecting Heritage to Build Peace ANNUAL

REPORT 2022

ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Protecting Heritage to Build Peace

Introduction 4

7 Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, Chair of the Foundation Board — Foreword

11 HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Vice-Chair of the Foundation Board and Representative of the United Arab Emirates The ALIPH way

15 HH Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, Representative of Saudi Arabia — ALIPH in Riyadh

Donors’ Conference 16

19 Ms. Bariza Khiari, Vice-Chair of the Foundation Board and Representative of France — Donors’ Conference in Paris

30 How to support ALIPH

ALIPH in the World 32

35 Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki, Chair (ad interim) of the Scientific Committee

36 ALIPH’s projects

40 ALIPH in numbers

46 Some completed projects in 2022

48 Kabul Province: Conservation of stupa at Shewaki, Buddist-era built heritage (Afghanistan)

52 Beirut: Opening of Saint Joseph University’s Oriental Library (Lebanon)

56 Beirut: Recovery the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George (Lebanon)

60 First aid interventions to the World Heritage Site of Hatra (Iraq)

64 Beitilu: Rehabilitation of the Ali Salem Mansion (West Bank, Palestine)

68 Shibam: Emergency restoration of damaged buildings in the old walled city (Yemen)

A Year in Ukraine 72

75 Mr. Valéry Freland, Executive Director — 2022: Mobilizing for Ukrainian heritage

76 Ukraine Action Plan

78 Ukraine Action Plan in numbers

82 Testimonials from three of our partners

82 Ms. Oleksandra Kovalchuk, Leader of NGO Museum for Change, former director of the Odesa Fine Arts Museum

84 Dr. Svitlana Stryelnikova, Director General, National Research Restoration Center of Ukraine (NRRC)

88 Ms. Yulia Vaganova, Director General, Khanenko Museum

90 Meet ALIPH’s Ukraine team

94 ALIPH exhibition

Cultural Heritage and Climate Change 96

99 Dr. Richard Kurin, Qualified Personality to the Foundation Board

101 Niger — Documentation and restoration of the old city of Agadez

104 Bangladesh — Rapid emergency documentation (RED) at the World Heritage Sites of Bagerhat and Paharpur

108 Mali — Gao: Rehabilitation of the Tomb of Askia

Discovering the past; rehabilitating for the future 114

ALIPH on the international stage 130

Introduction

Introduction

7 Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, Chair of the Foundation Board — Foreword

11 HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Vice-Chair of the Foundation Board and Representative of the United Arab Emirates — The ALIPH way

15 HH Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, Representative of Saudi Arabia — ALIPH in Riyadh

Foreword

Some six years ago, in Abu Dhabi, a decision was made, a pledge was taken, to turn the screw of history—even if ever so slightly—in the right direction. Armed with deep conviction and animated by a spirit of enlightened stewardship, ALIPH’s founding members placed a most consequential bet that protecting endangered cultural heritage in crisis and post-conflict situations would pay off in high-stakes dividends, including sustainable development, social cohesion, and yes, even peace and reconciliation.

In January 2022, these magnificent trailblazers—first among which were France, the United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—were joined by an even broader group of champions at the Musée du Louvre in Paris to declare their renewed support for the Foundation. ALIPH’s second international Donors’ Conference, held under the high patronage of President Macron, was a resounding success—both in its resource mobilization component, with USD 90 million received in pledges (well over the amount raised at our first Donors’ Conference four years earlier), and in the rousing chorus of praise for ALIPH’s actions to date.

Today, ALIPH has become synonymous with agility, responsiveness, collaboration, and effectiveness. It represents the “Gold Standard” for rapid response and impact-driven action—from Mosul to Timbuktu, Kabul to Kherson, Raqqa to Abidjan, and far beyond. By the end of 2022, through all the funding mechanisms at its disposal, the Foundation has supported some 300 projects in over 30 countries, establishing itself internationally as the main interlocutor for cultural heritage protection in conflict or post-conflict areas.

Standing at the forefront of what is sadly a “growth industry” has led us to break the mold in multiple ways. In addition to a rolling emergency program organized in conjunction with regular calls for projects, ALIPH has now developed a third financing mechanism: specific, crisis-tailored emergency response action plans. This concept was first articulated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and shortly thereafter expanded following the explosion at the Port of Beirut in 2020. ALIPH was called upon yet again in late February 2022, when the war in Ukraine necessitated quick and decisive action to immediately begin protecting invaluable cultural heritage

Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan Chair of the Foundation Board

that had either been shamefully targeted or suffered as a collateral victim of ongoing hostilities. One year on, our support continues, financing projects large and small around the country with what has become ALIPH’s characteristic flexibility and responsiveness.

In hindsight, 2022 marked the Foundation’s transition from vigorous establishment to bona fide “escape velocity.” It now enjoys an extensive and highly collaborative network of partnerships with governments, international institutions, civil society, academia, and the private sector. The sheer number of memorandum of understanding signed on the margins of our latest Donors’ Conference alone—12 in total—is testament to ALIPH’s stature on the global stage. The organization’s maturity also transpires in the significant number of completed projects to date: of the over 300 initiatives it has funded, more than one half are now closed. Last but not least, the power of ALIPH’s voice—its role as a leader, an authority, and an inspiration in this space—has been demonstrated through numerous citations in the international media, with over 1,000 articles in more than 80 countries mentioning our work just this past year.

The year 2023 will witness truly exciting changes for ALIPH, including the accession of new members, the mobilization of even greater funds, the sanctioning of many more impactful projects, and in fact the passing of the baton to a new leader. After two consecutive three-year terms at the helm of the organization, it will be time—and indeed right—for the Foundation to open a new governance chapter. I know that our Alliance will do so with confidence, ambition, and the calm yet empowering certainty that comes with strong foundations, an exceptional culture, and well-managed resources. I also like to think that my successor will be ideally positioned for enduring success, taking over a fine-tuned and high-performing institution. Serving as Chair of ALIPH has been the honor of a lifetime and I look forward to pursuing this noble journey, with unabated passion albeit in a different role, alongside my distinguished colleagues and partners.

Although the future of cultural heritage protection as a cause remains daunting—given the instability of our era, the resurgence of conflict around the world, and the consequence of new and diffused threats such as climate change—2022 beautifully evidenced that ALIPH has not only the means but, perhaps more importantly, an actual vision and a dedicated army of courageous women and men to help safeguard humankind’s shared inheritance everywhere. So much was not a foregone conclusion when we initially gathered in the winter of 2016. In the years to come, while capitalizing on its incredible achievements and consolidating its formidable strengths, ALIPH will continue to grow—and make ever more history as we strive to preserve it for future generations.

The ALIPH Way

HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak Chairman, Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi Vice-Chair of the Foundation Board and Representative of the United Arab Emirates

You launched the idea of the "ALIPH way.” What does it mean? What was your inspiration?

ALIPH’s reactive response to crisis situations—like in the past year in Ukraine and in 2020 in Lebanon, and throughout the recent pandemic—has confirmed its agility in deploying urgent assistance and expertise and creating synergies with partners and actors on the ground, which was one of the key qualities we wanted for ALIPH.

ALIPH has truly been able to develop its own approach to be strategic, surgical, effective, and efficient, which differentiates from other organizations operating in the same sphere and which has allowed ALIPH to accomplish so much in only six years.

I believe this approach, which we have dubbed the ”ALIPH way,” consists of three key factors:

• a lean yet versatile and enthusiastic team that can respond in the challenging and unpredictable context of crisis and post-crisis areas and implement agile project management

• an active, supportive, and reactive board that supports prompt decision making

• a strong network of committed and invested donors, partners, and operators, which has been key to operating swiftly and strategically and in synergizing effort

Thinking ahead, how can an organization like ALIPH maintain its agility?

In addition to maintaining the ALIPH way, I do think that the next five years should focus on developing and strengthening an ALIPH ecosystem, which would enhance ALIPH’s agility:

• an ecosystem that can flexibly adapt and respond to crises

• an ecosystem that is inclusive of communities, partners, and operators in ALIPH’s mission

• an ecosystem that covers the full value-chain of action and allows ALIPH to develop its capabilities in pre-conflict preparedness to enhance its reactivity and on-the-ground action

• an ecosystem that contributes to long-term sustainable development as part of restoring peace and healing through heritage protection and that promotes sustainable practices to stem the fight against climate change

• an ecosystem that is supported by all its parts to communicate and cooperate so it can thrive

In view of COP 28 in Dubai in 2023, how does cultural heritage protection fit into international efforts to stem climate change?

Forces of nature and wars have wiped out and degraded built environments the world over. Rebuilding urban fabric in a sustainable way by incorporating, preserving, and enhancing cultural heritage that has been lost or damaged is a pillar of sustainable development—not only from an environmental point of view, but also from an economic and social point of view. By preserving the physical fabric of the built environment that has cultural significance, cultural heritage has an important role to play in the sustainable economy and social development for countries post-conflict, particularly in reconciliation, healing, and restoring the well-being of communities and places that have suffered so much.

ALIPH’s mission is specific to heritage in conflict areas. It would be good to better understand how these sites are more vulnerable to climate change so that ALIPH can encourage more environmentally responsible practices, build climate change resilience requirements into the projects that ALIPH evaluates for funding, and ensure that the proposed projects contribute, in the long term, to sustainable development.

ALIPH in Riyadh

Heritage preservation retains the foundations of human knowledge, building roots that connect the present to the past. Sharing our heritage with others enables the dialogue that is essential to our mutual progress and sustainable future. As a result, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made the safeguarding and sharing of culture central to both its national development and international relations. Our aim is to strengthen our relationships with other countries through cultural exchange and understanding.

Over the past five years, ALIPH has supported 180 heritage projects in 30 countries on 5 continents. We also recognize the vital importance of preserving and rehabilitating heritage sites in conflict and post-conflict areas so that they can educate and inspire future generations. This work is particularly needed in the Middle

East and Africa, where conflicts have affected physical and cultural landscapes.

Having partnered with ALIPH since its inception, we are committed to ensuring the sustainability of its work by supporting its reach in the Middle East and Africa, making it a more vibrant and visible presence in the region and enabling the Kingdom to take a more active role in heritage preservation projects by strengthening preventative measures such as 3D digitization, encouraging swift response, community involvement in rehabilitation efforts, and empowering sustainable development. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to fostering this essential work through our continued partnership.

HH Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud Minister of Culture, Saudi Arabia Representative of Saudi Arabia to the Foundation Board

19 Ms. Bariza Khiari, Vice-Chair of the Foundation Board and Representative of France — Donors’ Conference in Paris

30 How to support ALIPH

Donors’ Conference in Paris

Ms. Bariza Khiari Vice-Chair of the ALIPH Foundation Board and representative of France

The year 2022 was a decisive one for ALIPH. It marked the five-year anniversary of the Foundation and saw a renewed commitment by current and new donors to the ALIPH way during the 2nd Donors’ Conference at the Musée du Louvre on 31 January 2022. Following on this success, the first ALIPH Forum in Abu Dhabi on 6–7 March 2023 assembled over 200 professionals and launched ALIPH into a new strategic period. Within a matter of months, we were able to embark on a new five-year financial period and set ourselves new, concrete, and ambitious goals, such as fighting the effects of climate change on cultural heritage in vulnerable countries.

Sadly, 2022 was also the year of the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, and my thoughts go out to all those who have suffered in this tragedy. Ukraine’s heritage has not been spared. ALIPH was quick to find a method and means of support as well as partners and energy to come and help rescue this exceptional patrimony and assist cultural heritage professionals, whose courage and commitment demand our admiration. As a result, dozens of cultural institutions—museums, libraries, archives—could protect their collections and will continue to do so for as long as necessary. Once again, our organization has rallied to the cause of protecting endangered cultural heritage.

Last year also saw the completion of several major projects funded by ALIPH. However, ALIPH has shown itself to be much more than a donor; rather, I should write: “major projects steered and co-led with our local and international partners.” It is to this end that nearly all the 20 or so projects launched and financed by ALIPH in Beirut

following the explosion of 4 August 2020 have now been completed, bearing witness to the rapid mobilization of our organization to support the rebirth of the cultural, economic, and religious life of the Lebanese capital. I was able to witness this myself during a recent visit, when I saw the work that has been accomplished—even if much remains to be done in this city we hold so dear. We continue to strive to ensure that the projects we support not only contribute to economic and social development but also promote cultural and religious diversity and dialogue by encouraging the full involvement of the local population. This work is about preserving history and identities—as each identity is a part of our shared humanity.

In 2022, ALIPH was joined by new donors: Oman and Romania. Then came the renewal of our partnership with Monaco, followed by the bid—now approved!—of Cyprus to join the Foundation Board, as well as support from the European Union and private partners such as the TotalEnergies Foundation and the Getty Trust. My understanding is that they are all drawn to ALIPH’s agility and our ability to be in those places where it’s hard to go.

Finally, 2022 was also the year of renewed support from our founding members. To all my fellow representatives from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Luxembourg, China, and Morocco, to the Fondation Gandur pour l’Art, to our Chairman, Thomas S. Kaplan, to Mounir Bouchenaki, Interim Chair of the Scientific Committee, and to all the qualified personalities who share our ambition, I would like to say how delighted I am to be working alongside you.

How to

support ALIPH

Thanks to the committed support of our donors in 2022, ALIPH has been able to continue its critical work protecting heritage at risk in conflict and post-conflict areas. Six years in, the rationale behind our founding has proven correct: the cultural heritage sector needs a funding organization that can mobilize public and private supports for heritage at risk with speed and agility, all the while maintaining the standards of oversight and excellence found in nonemergency settings.

ALIPH has become that organization. Since our founding in 2017, we have established ourselves as one of the most effective cultural heritage protection organizations for countries in crisis, leading by example with a spirit of creativity, foresight, and efficiency. Through our work in countries such as Iraq, Ukraine, Niger, and beyond, we have shown that safeguarding cultural heritage is much more than protecting stones and buildings — it is a tool for aiding in social and economic development, fighting against climate change, and building peace among communities torn apart by conflict.

But we are, sadly, in a “growth market.” Demand for our support has never been higher and will likely continue to increase as new drivers of conflict — among them, climate change — continue to intensify. If you are an individual, institution, or government interested in the protection of cultural heritage and wish to support or partner with ALIPH, please get in touch with us either by sending an email to harry.tarpey@aliph-foundation.org or by phone at +41 22 795 18 27.

New donors in 2022: European Union

Sultanate of Oman

Romania

Getty Trust

TotalEnergies Foundation

the ALIPH in

World

35 Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki, Chair (ad interim) of the Scientific Committee

36 ALIPH’s projects

40 ALIPH in numbers

46 Some completed projects in 2022

48 Kabul Province: Conservation of stupa at Shewaki, Buddist-era built heritage (Afghanistan)

52 Beirut: Opening of Saint Joseph University’s Oriental Library (Lebanon)

56 Beirut: Recovery the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George (Lebanon)

60 First aid interventions to the World Heritage Site of Hatra (Iraq)

64 Beitilu: Rehabilitation of the Ali Salem Mansion (West Bank, Palestine)

68 Shibam: Emergency restoration of damaged buildings in the old walled city (Yemen)

Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki Chair (ad interim) of the Scientific Committee

Who would have thought that the Foundation created during the December 2016 international conference organized by His Highness the Emir of Abu Dhabi, now President of the United Arab Emirates, and His Excellency the President of the French Republic would, in just six years, go on to become one of the most active institutions in the world for the protection of cultural heritage at risk in situations of crisis and war?

ALIPH has headquarters in Geneva, a highly flexible governance system, a Secretariat made up of a small team of young specialists focused on action in the field, and a Scientific Committee comprising reputed experts who study the requests submitted and give a detailed opinion on them. With these strengths, the Foundation has a unique way of operating that makes it possible to obtain the approval needed to implement projects rapidly, with financing ensured by substantial endowments from a number of states and private institutions.

The first forum organized by ALIPH, held in Abu Dhabi in March 2023, was a great success. Our exceptional track record was presented: 6 years of tireless activity in around 30 countries, with a total of 315 projects to date, executed in a spirit of multidisciplinarity, collaboration, and coordination. We work with specialized intergovernmental institutions such as UNESCO and ICCROM, as well as major international non-governmental institutions such as the Smithsonian, the World Monuments Fund, the Aga Khan

Foundation, L’Œuvre d’Orient, museums such as the Louvre, and a number of universities.

ALIPH continues to respond to the need to protect traditional earthen architecture under threat from jihadist groups, particularly in the Sahel; to safeguard extraordinary monuments in the Fertile Crescent, such as the largest vaulted arch in the ancient world at Ctesiphon; and, more recently, to provide urgent support of Ukraine’s endangered cultural heritage.

For historical monuments, museums, and archives affected by war, the ALIPH Secretariat relies on qualified professionals who meet the criteria required by international conventions and charters for restoration and conservation work.

Requests will continue to rush in because, unfortunately, the conflicts continue, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, the Congo Basin, and Ukraine. ALIPH recommends that project applicants take into account three essential requirements:

• feasible safeguarding of operations given the security conditions

• reliability and transparency in the management of funds allocated to professionals in the field

• documented monitoring of safeguarding operations

• technical and financial evaluation that is necessary at the end of any project.

From 21 June 2018 to 31 December 2022, ALIPH supported 315 projects in 35 countries.

Over half of these have already been completed.

ALIPH’s Projects

From 21 June 2018 to 31 december 2022

On Syrian heritage and North-East Syria

ALIPH in Numbers

From 21 June 2018 to 31 December 2022

315

Total projects

172 Completed projects

143

Ongoing projects $ 59,145,183

Funds committed

Beirut Action Plan

From 4 august 2020 to 31 December 2022

21 Projects supported

20 Projects completed $3,600,000 funds committed

Ukraine Action Plan

From March to 31 December 2022

142 Projects

100 Projects completed

229 organizations supported $ 3,746,434 funds committed .

Some completed projects in 2022

Kabul Province: Conservation of stupa at Shewaki, Buddist-era built heritage

Operator: Afghan Cultural Heritage Consulting Organisation (ACHCO)

The stupa at Shewaki, 11 kilometers north of Kabul, dates from the 3rd to 5th centuries CE and forms part of a religious route that Buddhist pilgrims took from the Indian lowlands to Bamiyan. This project was led by the local organization ACHCO, which documented the site, stabilized the structure, and partially reconstructed the monument. During this three-year project, young Afghan professionals were given on-the-job training and employment opportunities.

“The conservation of the stupa at Shewaki was a fascinating experience for the ACHCO team and others involved in the works. The excavations yielded valuable information about a much-neglected period in the history of the region, while the conservation of the architectural remains has ensured that they will remain part of the cultural landscape for future generations of Afghans. The involvement of the resident community in planning and implementing the work was critical for its success.”

Jolyon Leslie Founder, ACHCO

Beirut: Opening of Saint Joseph University’s Oriental Library

Operators: L’Œeuvre d’Orient (France) in cooperation with Saint Joseph University (Lebanon)

The Oriental Library of Saint Joseph University is home to an extraordinary collection of manuscripts and rare books. The Beirut explosion on 4 August 2020 caused structural damage to the library’s building and damage to its conservation facilities (such as cold rooms and dehumidifiers). After assessing the damage, teams repaired the walls and ceilings and replaced the doors and windows. The library was re-opened to the public in March 2022 at a ceremony attended by ALIPH Executive Director Valéry Freland, and now the library is being used once again by students and researchers.

Beirut: Recovery of Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Operators: Institut français du Proche-Orient (France) and École supérieure des affaires (ESA–Lebanon), in cooperation with the Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA) (Lebanon)

Located in the heart of the city, the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral is Beirut’s oldest church, with foundations dating to Late Antiquity. Burned and looted during the Lebanese Civil War, the cathedral faced further damage to its iconostasis (a wall of icons and religious paintings), windows, doors, and guardrails as the result of the 4 August 2020 explosion. The project repaired the iconostasis and wooden frames and replaced the windows and ceiling of both the main cathedral and the adjoining Nourieh Chapel. The cathedral and the chapel are once again functional and open to the public.

First aid interventions to the World Heritage Site of Hatra

Operators: Associazione Internazionale di Studi sul Mediterraneo e l’Oriente (ISMEO), in cooperation with the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH)

Hatra, founded in the 2nd or 3rd century BCE and destroyed in the middle of the 3rd century CE, is the best-preserved example of a Parthian city. Located in an isolated area of the desert steppe of northern Iraq, Hatra was an important religious and trading center and a major stop on a trading route leading to Palmyra, Baalbek, and Petra. The site was occupied by Daesh in 2014 and partially destroyed in 2015.

The rehabilitation process consists of three phases. The first was to document the site and conduct a needs assessment. The second focused on cleaning, further documentation, maintenance and rehabilitation of site facilities, and conservation and restoration of monuments, architectural elements, and sculptures. These achievements were marked by a ceremony in Hatra in February 2022.

The current, third phase of the project was approved by the ALIPH Foundation Board in October 2022 and launched in March 2023. The activities include taking urgent structural safeguarding measures, cataloguing artifacts, doing assessment and diagnostics, and preparing a conservation plan.

Beitillu, West Bank: Rehabilitation of Ali Salem Mansion

Operator: RIWAQ—Centre for Architectural Conservation

The restoration of the Ali Salem Mansion in Beitillu is part of a greater project to reinvigorate historic centers in rural Palestine and to safeguard its heritage. Through this project, the building was conserved and its structure was reinforced. In addition, eight historic rooms and a courtyard were adapted to serve as safe and friendly premises for the Beitillu Women’s Association, which focuses on food production and catering services. The association moved into the restored building immediately after renovation. A café catering to local youth is planned for the upper floor of the mansion, which will serve as a source of income for the association. The village council is proud of the results and is hopeful that such an initiative might attract more attention to the safeguarding and restoration of other historic buildings in the village.

“The protection and development of cultural heritage in Palestine is RIWAQ’s mission … Cultural heritage is not only about the past, stones and techniques, [but also] about the narrative, know-how, connections, resources, and practices. The Ali Salem rehabilitation project stands as means of resilience and a window of hope to the locals. The operation of the mansion as a women’s association embraced women and youth empowerment and contributed to socioeconomic development. This project stands as a celebration of the community-led heritage protection process supported by ALIPH.”

Shatha Safi, Director, RIWAQ

Shibam: Emergency restoration of damaged buildings in the old walled city

Operator: Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH)

The 16th-century city of Shibam is one of the oldest and best examples of urban planning based on vertical construction: towerlike structures, up to seven stories high, rise out of a cliff edge of Wadi Hadhramout and are arranged in a fortified, rectangular grid plan of streets and squares. Shibam was inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in 1982. Now, buildings in the walled city are deteriorating due to neglect and lack of maintenance because of the ongoing conflict in the region. The Arab Regional Center for World Heritage (ARC-WH) successfully implemented a project in Shibam that rehabilitated 18 damaged buildings, collaborating with a local partner, the Mud Architecture Protection Association, so that the artisans of Shibam and surrounding areas could participate in the reconstruction work.

in Ukraine A Year

Ukraine

75 Mr. Valéry Freland, Executive Director — 2022: Mobilizing for Ukrainian heritage

76 Ukraine Action Plan

78 Ukraine Action Plan in numbers

82 Testimonials from three of our partners

82 Ms. Oleksandra Kovalchuk, Leader of NGO Museum for Change, former director of the Odesa Fine Arts Museum

84 Dr. Svitlana Stryelnikova, Director General, National Research Restoration Center of Ukraine (NRRC)

88 Ms. Yulia Vaganova, Director General, Khanenko Museum

90 Meet ALIPH’s Ukraine team

94 ALIPH exhibition

2022: Mobilizing for

Ukrainian heritage

Mr. Valéry Freland Executive Director

Over the past year, the war in Ukraine and other recent conflicts have unfortunately shown us that the challenge—and ALIPH’s mission— of protecting heritage in times of war is far from being behind us. The list of Ukrainian museums, monuments, and historical and religious buildings damaged by the ongoing conflict has sadly grown with each passing day. It is a worrying reality for the international community to see heritage increasingly targeted in times of war, as well as the destruction of part of Ukraine’s memory—and indeed that of humankind as a whole.

In response, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, ALIPH has quickly and wholeheartedly mobilized alongside local teams of professionals to contribute to cultural heritage preservation efforts as much as possible. And our action was able to have an impact for two reasons: on the one hand, because once again, the Foundation demonstrated its agility in processing applications, making decisions, financing, and intervening; and on the other hand, because we were able to quickly get in touch and work hand in hand with Ukrainian professionals—from museum directors and heritage conservators to archaeologists and officials from the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, as well as administrators from NGOs and private foundations.

All these collaborators have demonstrated a commitment and a sense of responsibility that I would like to recognize here on behalf of ALIPH. And I would also like to pay our respects to the Polish professionals who frequently acted as our responsive, diligent intermediaries, working close to the field. I also commend the magnificent way in which the city of Geneva and its museums rallied: just a few days after the conflict broke out, and with our support, they were able to send 300 wooden crates by truck to Ukraine.

In one year, ALIPH has committed nearly USD 4 million to help protect collections in museums, archives, and libraries, as well as sites and monuments. ALIPH has supported 260 Ukrainian cultural organizations and institutions, either through grants or the supply of equipment and materials. Beyond this, through ALIPH’s scientific and technical expertise and ongoing dialogue with professionals, we have been able to help implement a number of protective measures.

This crisis has brought about a surge of solidarity for Ukrainian heritage, as well as the opportunity to strengthen links between international emergency partners and to develop new modes of intervention. Among the projects we have supported, three examples represent this evolution. ALIPH has financed the upgrade of nine storage houses for cultural artifacts in Ukraine, modernizing and dehumidifying large centers that are ready to accommodate— and are already welcoming—works of art from all over the country. The foundation has also supported the introduction of “heritage ambulances” by the National Research Restoration Center (NRRC): vans for transporting conservationists and restorers as well as “first aid” materials for artifacts. Finally, in partnership with Europa Nostra, the Global Heritage Fund, and the Heritage Emergency Response Initiative (HERI), ALIPH has contributed to funding more than 400 heritage professionals.

But this commitment would not have been possible without the unfailing support and determination of our governance and the Secretariat, as well as the support of new donors, including the European Union, the Getty Trust, and the Principality of Monaco.

For as long as is necessary, ALIPH will continue to support Ukrainian heritage, because there can be no lasting peace without living heritage.

Ukraine

Action Plan

Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, ALIPH has been closely engaged with local, national, and international organizations to provide emergency help to the Ukrainian cultural heritage professionals who are working tirelessly to save, preserve, stabilize, and restore the unique patrimony of the country and its people. Very quickly, the Secretariat, the Scientific Committee, and the Foundation Board mobilized to define and set up a Ukraine Action Plan: a unique mechanism allowing ALIPH to react quickly to the crisis and to the numerous requests for support. As of May 2023, ALIPH had committed nearly USD 4 million to support over 260 organizations (such as museums, archives, libraries, and conservation institutions). This result testifies to the responsiveness of ALIPH’s governance, the flexibility of its modes of intervention, the quick access to financing allowed by its funding structure, and, of course, the invaluable commitment of local, national, and international partners.

At the heart of ALIPH’s Ukraine Action Plan is a single objective: to provide necessary assistance as soon as possible for the sustainable protection of the cultural heritage in Ukraine. In this respect, ALIPH not only grants funds but also provides advice and expertise whenever necessary. The Foundation ensures a quick response to requests from heritage professionals—who work around the clock, often risking their lives—to ensure that they have the help they need to save, preserve, and restore sites, monuments, and artifacts. Part of this protection involves deploying “first aid” measures at sites to mitigate the damage to artifacts and artworks. To this end, ALIPH has financed the purchase of four “heritage ambulances”— vehicles carrying specialized equipment for conservators, who can then travel the country and apply stabilization or restoration measures to affected artifacts. The Foundation has also provided direct support to more than 400 cultural heritage professionals in Ukraine. ALIPH will continue this work for as long as it is required.

Ukraine Action Plan

in Numbers

From March to 31 December 2022

Since the beginning of the war, ALIPH has supported more than 260 cultural organizations in Ukraine:

140+ museums

18 archives and libraries

62 heritage sites

6 (1 national and 5 regional) institutions responsible for conservation of heritage over 35 civil society organizations working on heritage protection

Materials

hundreds of wooden museum crates from SwitzeRland, Italy, France, Poland, Austria, and the UK

4 vehicles equipped for emergency conservation

151 generators and power stations to support security and climate control systems during winter and power shortages

hundreds of tools for fire protection, including fire extinguishers, gas masks, fireproof blankets, suits, and fire alarm systems

Storage

9 major artifact storage facilities upgraded in the country

millions of artifacts and archival documents safely stored

Documentation

emergency documentation of collections

documentation of damage to heritage

documentation of monuments and sites by the Ukrainian operators Skeiron and AERO3D

a system that documents, monitors, and analyzes the impact of the conflict on sites and monuments implemented by the Global Heritage Fund and University College London

digitization equipment, including professional scanners, cameras, laptops, hard drives, and other material

Professionals

400 cultural heritage professionals (70% of them women) assisted across Ukraine

Testimonials from

Three of our partners

The Odessa Fine Arts Museum was established in 1899, and in 123 years of history, the museum closed its doors only during World War II and after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022. The collection of the Odessa Fine Arts Museum consists of about 10,000 paintings, sculptures, and graphic works of art from the 16th century to the present day.

We had prepared some packing materials that were not enough to secure the collection of the museum. We had also realized that the situation was even more difficult for other museums of Odesa. In March we started searching for opportunities to fundraise to protect collections of local museums. And that’s when I received a call from Alexandra Fiebig from the ALIPH Foundation. It was

on Sunday evening, and I was surprised. Alexandra told me that they would be there for us 24/7, and they were. I’ll remember this moment for the rest of my life. It wasn’t just about funds or resources. A sense of support was even more meaningful.

After providing help to cultural institutions in Odesa and Odesa region, we started receiving requests from all over Ukraine. Soon, we found ourselves assisting more than 60 museums in Ukraine with the support of ALIPH and other international organizations and private donors. It’s hard to find words that would express the gratitude we feel to all the people standing behind the protection of Ukrainian heritage. We continue our work.

Ms. Oleksandra Kovalchuk Leader of NGO Museum for Change, former director of the Odesa Fine Arts Museum

Director

Dr. Svitlana Stryelnikova

General National research restoration CENTER of Ukraine

The war in Ukraine caused enormous destruction of historical and cultural heritage, colossal losses, and damage to museum artifacts. The National Research Restoration Center of Ukraine (NRRC), a state expert cultural institution with an 85-year history, took on the mission of saving works of art. However, it was impossible to do so amidst the war without necessary equipment, restoration materials, instruments, and means of transportation.

ALIPH’s support through the Ukraine Action Plan allowed the Ukrainian cultural heritage professionals to put all their efforts into saving museum rarities, inspecting their state of conservation, providing methodological and practical assistance in packing, checking storage conditions, preparing various artifacts for evacuation, and ensuring the safe restoration of museum treasures damaged by hostilities.

ALIPH has supported the NRRC considerably by purchasing a mobile restoration laboratory. This mobile laboratory transported restorers and necessary restoration materials to the Ukrainian museums, as well as delivered equipment and move damaged exhibits to Kyiv for restoration.

Thanks to the equipment purchased through ALIPH’s grant — which is used to restore paintings, drawings, decorativeapplied art, books, and photographs — a high-quality restoration of museum artifacts that are in a critical state is carried out.

In the extreme situation in which Ukrainian museums find themselves these days, protective equipment such as gowns, aprons, gloves, and respirators are of great help to the restorers. More accurate temperature and humidity indexes in the museum rooms became possible after modern hygrometers were purchased. These are especially needed in museums with no electricity and heating.

During the year of martial law in Ukraine, NRRC experts in Kyiv and its branches in Lviv, Odesa, and Kharkiv worked in 250 museums, galleries, and Ukrainian storages. They examined the state of conservation of over 12,000 museum exhibits and made 1,121 trips in 2022 and 230 in early 2023. With the restoration materials and special tools acquired thanks to ALIPH, it was possible to restore many museum artifacts in the temporarily occupied territories, which suffered from rocket and artillery strikes, blast waves, fires, and short circuits.

Ms. Yulia Vaganova Director General, Khanenko Museum

Almost a year has passed since our first communication with the ALIPH Foundation and its first aid for the Khanenko Museum. The list of help takes us back to the experiences of each month of the war. The packaging material sends us back to the time of conservation of the collection, the generators to the blackouts, the repaired glass to the explosion near the museum. Along with this "calendar" comes another one — a calendar of support for every day, every challenge that we go through thanks to your solidarity, shared values, and faith in winning the war.

Meet ALIPH’s

Ukraine team

ALIPH’s action in Ukraine would not have seen the light of day if it were not for the expertise, dedication, responsiveness, and perseverance of all ALIPH’s governing bodies and the Secretariat. In record time, the ALIPH Foundation Board adopted an Action Plan of USD 2 million in early March 2022, which increased to USD 5 million by September 2022. This Action Plan has been financed by ALIPH members and also by new funders: the European Union (EUR 2 million from the EU Foreign Policy Instrument), the Getty Fund (USD 1 million), and the Principality of Monaco (EUR 40,000).

Since the moment the Ukraine Action Plan was approved, ALIPH has been working hand in hand with heritage operators throughout Ukraine and abroad. The plan could be implemented quickly in part because it provides a streamlined project approval process, entrusting the Chair of the Foundation Board, Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, and the ad interim Chair of the Scientific Committee, Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki, with the responsibility of approving projects proposed by the Executive Director, Valéry Freland. Moreover, submissions have been assessed on a rolling basis—often within 24 or 48 hours of reception—so that emergency heritage protection measures can be implemented as quickly as possible.

The Programs and Projects team at ALIPH has been fully mobilized to identify heritage professionals in Ukraine, elicit and support project proposals, and evaluate the scientific merit and urgency of each submission. This work is being executed under the leadership of the Foundation’s Scientific and Program Director, Dr. Maja Kominko; two ALIPH program managers, Alexandra Fiebig and Elsa Urtizverea; as well as new Ukrainian colleagues, Olena Kokliagina, Vira Orlovska, and Daryna Zhyvohliadova, brought on board to support the delivery of the Ukraine Action Plan. The emergency financial procedures are being overseen by Director of Finance and Administration Laurent Oster and Finance Officer Najet Makhloufa, who face the challenge

of transferring funds as quickly as possible to approved operators intervening in a conflict situation.

ALIPH’s growing partnerships with grantees in Ukraine were strengthened in July 2022 when Dr. Maja Kominko travelled to Ukraine, at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, with representatives of ICOMOS and ICCROM to undertake an extensive visit of heritage sites and to meet with partners and grantees. This was followed by a visit to Kyiv by Valéry Freland in February 2023, within the framework of an official visit by French Minister of Culture Rima Abdul Malak.

ALIPH exhibition

“Taking action to protect cultural heritage in Ukraine”

In November 2022, during the 5th edition of the Paris Peace Forum, ALIPH presented its exhibition, “Taking action to protect cultural heritage in Ukraine.” The 18-panel exhibition honors the Ukrainian professionals who have been working on the front lines of heritage protection to safeguard their monuments and sites and preserve their museums, libraries and archives, and collections across the country. Displayed outside the Palais Brongniart in the heart of Paris, the exhibition highlighted the necessity of protecting the rich and diverse cultural heritage found throughout the country.

ALIPH was honored to present this unique exhibition to President of the Republic of France Emmanuel Macron, who was taken through the exhibition by Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan (Chair of the ALIPH

Foundation Board), Ms. Bariza Khiari (Vice-Chair of the ALIPH Foundation Board and Representative of France to ALIPH), Mr. Valéry Freland (ALIPH Executive Director), and Mr. Peter Wagner, Head of the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) of the European Union, which is co-funding ALIPH’s action in Ukraine. Likewise, the President of the Swiss Confederation and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis, also visited the ALIPH booth at the forum and spoke with Mr. Valéry Freland and Dr. Sandra Bialystok (ALIPH Director of Communications and Partnerships) about the scope and impact of ALIPH’s action in Ukraine.

This exhibition was also presented in early 2023 at the headquarters of the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels.

Heritage

Cultural Climate Change

A look at some projects that respond

99 Dr. Richard Kurin, Qualified Personality to the Foundation Board

101 Niger — Documentation and restoration of the old city of Agadez

104 Bangladesh — Rapid emergency documentation (RED) at the World Heritage Sites of Bagerhat and Paharpur

108 Mali — Gao: Rehabilitation of the Tomb of Askia

110 Sudan — Urgent protection of the World Heritage Site of Meroe in the face of flooding and other threats

Heritage and

Change

respond to the negative impact of climate change on cultural heritage

The relationship between climate change and cultural heritage is not new. Archaeologists and ecologists, equipped with new technologies and analytic methods, have uncovered evidence of how ancient and medieval settlements and structures were designed for and impacted by persistent periods of warming and cooling, flooding and drought. In many cases, artifacts of survival as well as local wisdom and rites adapted to such changes. Preserving and understanding those sites and adaptations may provide insights for us today.

Indeed, the current scale, scope, and rapidity of climate change is unprecedented in its impact on human societies and their ecosystems. Increased heat directly affects the integrity of aging building materials. Floods undermine historic structures. Salinity in rising water tables erodes foundations. Desertification puts more dust, sand, and debris in the air, eroding architectural facades. Humidity promotes mold that threatens collections. Shorelines, advancing inland due to rising sea levels, endanger nearby archaeological sites and monuments.

More indirectly, drying lakes and over-heated marine zones diminish livelihoods. Droughts, severe storms, wildfires, heat-boosted pollution, and heat-triggered plant pathologies disrupt the food chain and threaten food and water sources, causing malnutrition and

famines and forcing mass migrations. This places pressure on nearby regions of refuge. Having more people in less space with diminished resources breeds conflict, and that puts heritage sites, collections, and intangible cultural traditions at risk either as targets of violence or as neglected collateral damage. Contemporary adaptations— demand for more air-conditioning and hence higher energy use and pollution, industrial use of warming Arctic seas, deforestation to open new arable lands for agriculture—all have impacts that pit communities, people, and nations against each other, endangering their well-being, their lifeways, and heritage sites. Diminished natural areas have also placed humans and wildlife in greater proximity, subjecting societies to zoonotic diseases and viral epidemics. So too have changing climate conditions fostered mosquito populations and their spread of disease, with consequences for social disruption, economic strife, and civil conflict.

In sum, climate change is a seemingly slow moving yet growing and persistent disaster that undermines the natural and social context in which cultural heritage exists. By magnifying natural processes of degradation and heightening factors that lead to civil strife, conflict, and war, climate change comprises worldwide phenomena that demand our attention as cultural heritage bearers, advocates, and professionals.

Dr. Richard Kurin Ambassador at Large, Smithsonian Institution Qualified personality to the ALIPH Foundation Board

Documentation and restoration of the old city of Agadez

OPERATORS: IMANE ATARIKH, IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMITÉ DE GESTION OF THE OLD CITY OF AGADEZ AND ICONEM

The city of Agadez was built along caravan roads before the 15th century and boasts a rich diversity of architectural styles. The earthen-architecture houses built around the Great Mosque are each decorated with different complex shapes and patterns. The mosque’s minaret is one of the tallest mudbrick structures in the world. Through a combination of drastic climate change, which has provoked regular flash floods, and civil unrest resulting in bombings in 2013, there was an urgent need for a comprehensive preservation of this site. As a result of this project, 19 houses and the Great Mosque were restored using traditional techniques. The houses were plastered, roofs changed, and foundations and walls strengthened. More than 120 local masons and workers with 45 young people from the old city took part in the restoration works. The project manager and 11 young people were trained in 3D scanning, data collection, and the use of drones. The success of the project ensured continuous cooperation between ALIPH, the local association Imane-Atarikh, and international partner CRAterre to rehabilitate some additional 30 traditional houses in the old town and restore around 100 traditional handicrafts by December 2024.

Rapid emergency documentation (RED) at the World Heritage Sites of Bagerhat and Paharpur

OPERATOR: CYARK

The impact of climate change has endangered the historic mosque city of Bagerhat and the ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur— two of the country’s most recognizable Muslim and Buddhist monuments, respectively. In Bagerhat, many buildings are now used as shelters during severe weather events as the local population seeks refuge in the sturdy brick buildings during cyclones. When people are displaced by climate disasters or conflict, sites like Bagerhat can become overrun, causing potential damage to the site. Paharpur is an important Buddhist site in a country where less than 1% of the population is Buddhist and is potentially at risk of increasing social tensions linked to the effects of climate change.

The RED program showcases the potential of 3D digital documentation for bolstering disaster resilience in regions threatened by climate change, as well as the important role heritage professionals can play by quickly documenting sites in the event of catastrophes or natural disasters. The project created baseline documentation of priority structures within both sites and has trained 18 local heritage professionals from two Bangladeshi universities— Jahangirnagar University and Khulna University—in these techniques.

“As a vulnerable country susceptible to climate change, Bangladesh must conserve this documentation rapidly and efficiently for our future generations.”

Shahnaz Parvin Eva, Student, Khulna University.

Mali

Gao: Rehabilitation of the Tomb of Askia

OPERATORS: MINISTRY OF CULTURE OF MALI (DIRECTION NATIONALE DU PATRIMOINE CULTUREL DU MALI), AND CRATERRE (FRENCH ASSOCIATION SPECIALIZED IN EARTHEN ARCHITECTURE)

The Tomb of Askia, built in 1495, is a testament to the splendor of the Songhoi Empire and a significant example of Sudano-Sahelian architecture. The structure is an excellent example of mud-building traditions found in West African Sahel. The local community regularly gathers at the pyramidal tomb and two flat-roof mosque buildings for cultural events. Community members are dedicated to its upkeep, maintaining the structure using traditional methods such as plastering (crepissage).

The occupation of the city of Gao by armed groups from 2012 to 2013 had grave consequences for its cultural heritage, including the tomb. Moreover, the effects of climate change, in particular the intensification of rainfall, increase its structural vulnerability.

Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2004, the Tomb of Askia was subsequently placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2012.

To prevent it from further degrading and collapsing and to promote and protect local and traditional knowledge, a full rehabilitation project is being carried out. It will improve the state of conservation and authenticity of the site while continuing traditional maintenance practices, such as carpentry and plastering techniques characterized by rounded shapes—resulting from the regular renewal of plaster eroded by the rains each winter.

Urgent protection of the World Heritage Site of Meroe in the face of flooding and other threats

OPERATORS: SECTION FRANÇAISE DE LA DIRECTION DES ANTIQUITÉS DU SOUDAN (SFDAS) AND THE NATIONAL CORPORATION FOR ANTIQUITIES AND MUSEUMS (NCAM)

The archaeological site of Meroe—comprising pyramidal necropolises and the remains of temples and buildings—is a testament to the magnificence of the Nubian civilization. The ancient city of Meroe was constructed between the 6th century BCE and the 4th century CE and was the capital of the Kingdom of Kush. Meroe was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2011, but it is now endangered by flooding from the Nile River.

The project consisted of constructing a dyke using local materials to protect the ancient royal city from recurrent flooding, a solution successfully implemented at the site of El-Kurru, another archaeological site in Sudan. This UNESCO-coordinated project is part of a collaboration with the National Corporation of Antiquities and Museums (NCAM), the German Archaeological Institute (DAI), and the Section française de la Direction des antiquités du Soudan (SFDAS)—the French Section of the Sudan Antiquities Authority.

rehabilitating Discovering for the

rehabilitating Discovering the past; future

117 Dr. Mariët Westermann, Qualified Personality to the Foundation Board — Protecting heritage to build peace at the Mashki Gate

118 Mashki Gate discovery — Reprint of article from National Geographic Magazine , by Kristin Romey

126 Forging intercultural dialogue and trust in Cyprus: The joint conservation of St. George of the Latins Church in Famagusta and Tuzla Mosque in Larnaca

Protecting heritage the Mashki Gate, Mosul to build peace at

Dr. Mariët Westermann

ALIPH’s governing idea is that protecting heritage can build peace. It sounds utopian, but how does it work?

The project to restore the Mashki Gate in Mosul offers a characteristic example of how ALIPH proceeds. The gate was a monumental entry point to Nineveh, a storied ancient Assyrian capital. It was built near the Tigris in the age of King Sennacherib, around 700 BCE. Over the millennia the region saw shifting reigns and changing populations of ethnic, linguistic, and faith communities, but throughout the gate was preserved as a signature feature of the Mosul skyline. It suffered damage and neglect, but in a great campaign of the 1970s it was rebuilt as a vital work of cultural and architectural heritage.

The grandeur of a pre-Islamic monument cherished as a national treasure of Iraq was offensive to Daesh and its zero-tolerance policy towards cultural heterogeneity. In 2016, Daesh operatives blew up the Mashki Gate and bulldozed much of the site, causing grievous damage as they did to many of Mosul’s ancient, religious, and government buildings.

As the defeat of Daesh in Iraq coincided with the constitution of ALIPH in 2017, the Board and Secretariat immediately turned their attention to Mosul. The city had been one of the most diverse in the country, and ALIPH was eager to support a wide range of restoration and recovery projects, from mosques, churches, and Jewish oral history to the Mosul Museum and Maski Gate. ALIPH underwrites projects designed to revivify the mosaic of religious and cultural vibrancy of Mosul—together

indeed called MOSAIC—in closest collaboration with Iraqi authorities and non-profits as well as international organizations.

Those principles of not going it alone and working with local as well as international stakeholders and experts are crucial to ALIPH’s efforts to drive sustainable preservation of heritage. At the Maski Gate, ALIPH partners with the University of Pennsylvania, Mosul University, and the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage of Iraq. The goal is not only to reconstruct this magnificent structure, but to take the opportunity to do further research. In 2022, the archaeologists excavated eight marble slabs with exquisite carvings of plant life and other motifs that had not been known. They are from the time of Sennacherib and appear to have been moved from his palace to be incorporated into the gate.

All of this technical and educational work requires daily practices of collaboration and knowledge exchange that can help the local community move past painful histories of tension and loss. At times, these conflicts may have forced stakeholders to choose sides when all they wanted was to live their lives and support their families in the place they call home.

Partners in ALIPH’s restoration projects often experience this process of building conditions for peaceful coexistence in seemingly impossible situations, from restoring a church and a mosque in Cyprus to rebuilding a giant Buddhist stupa in Afghanistan. The intercultural dialogue born of impressive technical projects holds out hope for sustainable peace.

Vice-Chancellor of New York University Abu Dhabi Qualified personality to the ALIPH Foundation Board

Mashki Gate discovery

A member of a joint Iraq-U.S. archaeological team gently brushes dirt from a carved stone panel last seen some 2,600 years ago at the Mashki Gate at the ancient site of Nineveh near Mosul. The remarkable artwork was likely repurposed from the palace of Assyrian king Sennacherib (r. 705-681 B.C.) for later use as construction material at a palace gate, where the panels were installed sideways and any decoration visible above floor level chiseled away.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ZAID AL-OBEIDI, AFP/ GETTY

Reprint from National geographic

Date of original publication: 28 October 2022 on nationalgeographic.com/magazine

Stunning ancient artwork found at site attacked by ISIS

By KRISTIN ROMEY

The reliefs—which likely depict an Assyrian king’s military campaigns —are the first major discoveries of their kind in Iraq since the 1800s.

Left: This excavated slab, which depicts an Assyrian military encampment, shows how workers chiseled away most of the relief visible above floor level.

Right: A detail from the lower-right corner of the slab reveals a “foreigner” with a hairstyle and beard known from Iranian populations at the time. Assyrian figures are usually depicted with curly shoulder-length hair and beards.

Previous page: The excavation team works at the Mashki Gate in Nineveh. Once archaeologists dug beneath the floor level, the seemingly blank stone panels revealed lushly detailed scenes.

A joint Iraqi-American team of archaeologists digging in the ruins of an ancient palatial gate destroyed by ISIS have discovered stunning artworks last seen some 2,600 years ago.

The seven carved gypsum panels are believed to originally come from the Southwest Palace at Nineveh, near modern Mosul in northern Iraq, and date to the time of Assyrian king Sennacherib (r. 705-681 B.C.). “It’s something none of us expected,” says Ali al-Jabouri, the retired dean of the University of Mosul’s College of Archaeology who is part of the excavation team.

Similar reliefs, excavated from Sennacherib’s palace in the mid-19th century and now a highlight of the British Museum collections, depict the king’s campaign against King Hezekiah of Judea in 701. Al-Jabouri notes that while the heralded Sennacherib reliefs in the British Museum are viewable yet untouchable, the moment he first laid a hand on the newly discovered reliefs was profound.

“When you discover such things and you’re able to touch them with your hand, this is something very, very exciting,” he told National Geographic on a call from Mosul.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICHAEL DANTI

"REVOLUTIONARY" WORKS OF ART

Sennacherib is among the most famous leaders of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, which at its height spanned from what is now modern Iraq to the Caucasus and Egypt. His military campaign of 701, recorded in the panels at the British Museum and elsewhere, also appears in biblical accounts.

The king’s reign is also considered a pivotal moment in art history when Sennacherib’s artists threw away binding restrictions of tradition and embraced a sweeping new approach. The Assyrian ruler commissioned large-scale artistic depictions of his military campaigns in continuous narratives that filled every bit of space, paying careful attention to details of landscapes and peoples across his vast empire and beyond.

The newly discovered panels, one of which bears an inscription of Sennacherib, depict Assyrian soldiers and military camps, as well as foreign deportees or prisoners of war.

In an ironic twist for ancient artworks that survived both the Sack of Nineveh by Babylonians and Medes in 612 B.C. and the destruction wrought by the 21st-century Islamic State, the preserved portions of relief appear as if they were just carved, the archaeologists marvel.

“They’re better than the ones in the British Museum,” says Michael Danti, professor of archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the joint Iraqi-American project. “They really show the high-relief carving, the detail of Sennacherib’s sculptures which were revolutionary at the time.”

A slab buried on its side depicts Assyrian archers; the conical pattern in the background indicates they are in a hilly or mountainous environment.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL DANTI

UNLIKELY DISCOVERY

The unlikely site of the remarkable discovery is a place of recent destruction. During a campaign of terror across northern Iraq and Syria between 2014 and 2017, the Islamic State targeted the ancient city of Nineveh. At its height around 700 B.C., it was the capital of the Neo-Assyrian empire and the largest city in the world. The citadel at Nineveh, which contains palaces built by Sennacherib and his grandson Ashurbanipal, was surrounded by a wall more than seven miles long and punctuated by 18 gates.

The Mashki Gate, known as the “Gate of the Watering Places” and situated next to the Tigris River, was restored in the 1970s as a prized monument to the ancient heritage of the residents of modern Mosul. It was destroyed by the Islamic State in April 2016.

The joint project between the University of Pennsylvania’s Iraq Heritage Stabilization Program and the Nineveh Inspectorate of Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, funded in part by the ALIPH Foundation, began excavating the ruins of the Mashki Gate ahead of a planned reconstruction in April of this year. They soon encountered a sealed doorway apparently untouched during the 1970s restoration. Beyond the door was a hallway that no one had entered for 2,634 years—when the Mashki Gate and the entire palace compound was destroyed during the sack of Nineveh at the end of the 7th century B.C.

As the archaeologists dug into the destruction layer, they found the skeletal remains of victims from the sack. As they dug down deep along a wall fashioned from chiseled stone panels, however, something more intriguing emerged. Beneath the floor level, seven

The Mashki Gate after reconstruction in 1977. It was bulldozed by the Islamic State in 2016..

seemingly blank panels revealed riotous scenes of carved decoration: powerful Assyrian soldiers and archers, and mountainous landscapes lush with detailed vegetation.

The researchers suspect that the panels were repurposed from Sennacherib’s palace and reused as construction material, possibly during a renovation of Mashki Gate by Shinshariskun, the great-grandson of the king. The roughly 5-by-6.5-foot panels were set sideways against the mud brick walls of the gate, with any visible decorated relief above the floor level subsequently chiseled off.

ASSYRIAN ART STAYS "HOME"

This is first significant discovery of known Sennacherib-era reliefs since Austen Henry Layard excavated the Southwest Palace in the mid-19th century. The majority of his finds were sent to European museums. These panels, however, will be the first to remain in Iraq.

Researchers have yet to confirm what specific events or military campaigns are depicted in the newly discovered panels and are continuing to excavate the area. Fragments of chiseled decoration found in the hall will provide archaeologists with additional information to

Left: Assyrian archers are depicted in a mountainous landscape.

Right: Details in the scenes, such as livestock in a military encampment, help researchers better understand how Assyrian leaders organized and waged campaigns across their vast empire.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICHAEL DANTI

This “doodle,” possibly showing Assyrian kings in profile, was spotted by archaeologists on a blank spot of exposed panel and was likely crafted by a bored guard or passerby.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL DANTI

reconstruct the scenes, and the panels also provide important information on how Assyrians recycled and repurposed building materials across their empire.

Zainab Bahrani, a professor of ancient Near Eastern art and archaeology at Columbia University, noted that a figure in one panel has a distinctive, non-Assyrian hairstyle and beard worn by inhabitants of Iran at the time, suggesting it may represent a later campaign of Sennacherib in the Zagros Mountains.

“I found [the discovery] really very heartening because we had lost so much during the ISIS attack,” says Bahrani, who points to other stunning discoveries made beneath Mosul’s ancient shrine of Nabi Yunus, which was destroyed by the Islamic State in 2014. “It did provide some comfort that these things can never be destroyed, because they’ll always reemerge in some sense.”

“The land the land is just full of antiquities,” she adds. “It’s full of ancient sites. And there is no way that you can erase all that history.”

Cyprus

Forging intercultural dialogue and trust: The joint conservation of St. George of the Latins Church in Famagusta and Tuzla Mosque in Larnaca

Operator: UNDP—Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage

The Tuzla Mosque, located in the old part of Larnaca, was once a medieval church built on the foundations of a basilica. During the Ottoman period, the site was converted into a mosque. In Famagusta, the Church of St. George of the Latins is the oldest Gothic architecture monument within the walled city.

The project to conserve the mosque and the church relies on the knowledge of both Greek and Turkish Cypriot conservation experts and gives them a venue to exchange good practices. At the same time, their efforts are bolstered by other community engagement activities led by Greek and Turkish Cypriots that foreground their common heritage and promote peacebuilding. Preserving cultural heritage and building awareness around common heritage are important components of the confidence-building efforts by the UNDP’s Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage of Cyprus.

Since 2008, the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage (TCCH) in Cyprus has been working to preserve and restore cultural heritage sites as a means to build trust and understanding between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities. The decision of the two Cypriot leaders to establish a committee for the preservation of cultural heritage monuments was a historical shift compared to the confrontational approaches of the past. It was a bold statement to not only abandon the policy of the “blame game” but also use Cultural Heritage as a mechanism of cooperation and confidence building.

From the very beginning, the members of the TCCH adapted a strategy based on three basic pillars: to preserve monuments of all communities without any distinction, to consider all monuments bequeathed to us by history as the common or shared heritage of all people residing on the island, and to depoliticize our procedures to avoid any negative impact of implications in political negotiation on the island. By preserving and restoring cultural heritage sites, the TCCH has been able to bring people from both sides together to work towards a common goal. Experts from both communities collaborated on more than 120 projects, fostering mutual respect and understanding. By restoring cultural heritage sites, the TCCH has helped to preserve the collective memory of both communities and create a sense of shared heritage. This has contributed to a more positive attitude towards each other and has helped to break down stereotypes and misconceptions and even mitigate deeply rooted historical narratives of animosity.

TCCH’s partnership with ALIPH not only strengthens its ability to preserve important historical monuments but, most importantly, contributes to its efforts to promote peace and reconciliation, thus creating the conditions for a more peaceful and harmonious future for all Cypriots.

Dr. Sotos Ktoris, Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage

international ALIPH on the

the

international stage

133 HE Nadia Ernzer, Representative of Luxembourg to the Foundation Board

134 ALIPH on the international stage

HE Nadia Ernzer

In just six years, ALIPH has risen to the rank of key stakeholder in the preservation of cultural heritage in conflict zones. And it has done so through its ability to mobilize resources and expertise quickly, in an innovative, agile, and efficient way, which makes it unique. Luxembourg is proud to have supported the wonderful project that is ALIPH from the very beginning.

UNESCO, the European Union, and many other regional and local organizations ensure the preservation and protection of the world’s cultural and natural heritage. ALIPH has already entered into partnerships with some of these. The obvious synergies existing there are absolutely worthy of being strengthened where useful and feasible, without calling into question the agility and effectiveness of the Foundation. I call on other national, regional, and international stakeholders who share the Foundation’s values and aspirations, particularly European countries, to join ALIPH.

Cultural heritage is the foundation of any society: a society that loses its cultural heritage loses its history and its bearings. And let’s not forget that this heritage is an important springboard for the development of local economies. Project ownership by local populations—women in particular—therefore remains essential. In this regard, the ALIPH philosophy is aligned with that of many international organizations.

Although I have been a member of the Foundation Board for less than a year, I salute the visionary and deeply humanist nature of ALIPH, which ensures that its projects are longterm and implemented in an inclusive way, with particular attention paid to gender equality. I also take this opportunity to thank all those who contribute to the success of this remarkable project, with the leitmotif so well described by the Chair of the Foundation Board, Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan: “Action, action, action!”

Representative of Luxembourg to the ALIPH Foundation Board

ALIPH on the

international stage

Meeting with German authorities, Berlin, Germany, 10-11 January 2022 (Valéry Freland and Alexandra Fiebig)

Meeting with partners and authorities, Manama, Bahrain, 17-18 January 2022 (Valéry Freland)

Conference for the reinforcement of European cooperation against illicit trafficking in cultural property, Paris, France, 1 February 2022 (Valéry Freland, Maja Kominko, Elsa Urtizverea)

Launch of the ALIPH Travelling Exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland, 5 September 2022

The UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development –MONDIACULT 2022, Mexico City, Mexico, 27 September – 3 October 2022 (Valéry Freland, Sandra Bialystok, Othman Boucetta)

Culture Summit: A Living Culture, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 23-25 October 2022 (Valéry Freland, Sandra Bialystok)

TransCultural Exchange 2022 International Conference on Opportunities in the Arts: Create the Future, Boston, USA, 4-6 November 2022 (Thomas Kaplan, Sandra Bialystok)

Cultural heritage in fragile contexts. Development cooperation in Afghanistan and neighboring countries, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and Florence University, Florence, Italy, 10-11 November 2022 (Elsa Urtizverea)

ALIPH Travelling Exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 2022

Festival de l’histoire de l’art, Fontainebleau, France, 3-5 June 2022 (Valéry Freland)

Conference of the Ministers of Culture of the Euro-Mediterranean region. Culture Ministerial meeting of the EU-Southern Partnership, Naples, Italy, 16-17 June 2022 (Valéry Freland, Andrea Balbao)

Visit of CoPaM (Co-développer le Patrimoine mondial en Méditerranée) office, Arles, France, 11-12 July 2022 (Valéry Freland)

Roundtable on Protection of Cultural Heritage, One Year After the Adoption of Council Conclusions, Brussels, Belgium, 19-20 September 2022 (Valéry Freland)

Roundtable on the EU’s Approach to Cultural Heritage in Conflict and Crises: Best Practices and Lessons Identified, Brussels, Belgium, 12 October 2022 (Valéry Freland)

Workshop on Protecting Heritage in Conflict Areas, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 26 October 2022

Vernissage, ALIPH Exhibition at Musée Guimet, Paris, France, 17 November 2022

Chatham House conference on Iraq, London, UK, 14-15 November 2022 (Maja Kominko)

Journée de la Méditerranée, Monaco, 28 November 2022 (Valéry Freland, Maria Gurova)

Communications

Communications

139 Dr. Sandra Bialystok, Director of Communications and Partnerships — Our origin story set, we’re already writing ALIPH’s next chapter

142 Media review

Our origin story set,

we’re already writing ALIPH’s next chapter

Dr. Sandra Bialystok Director of Communications and Partnerships

On every seat at ALIPH’s second Donors’ Conference, held in the Cours Khorsabad at the Musée du Louvre on 31 January 2022, was a copy of “5 Years of ALIPH”—a booklet we had made for the event. Although its contents covered just a five-year span, ALIPH’s accomplishments easily filled more than 100 pages: a timeline packed with “firsts” and accounts of those initial projects that crystallized ALIPH’s reputation as a responsive, flexible, and trustworthy partner. That conference was significant for many reasons, most importantly, of course, because it refunded the Foundation for a further five years and reaffirmed our donors’ commitment to the ALIPH Way. However, from a communications perspective, it was also a crucial moment. It offered the opportunity to reflect on how we had told ALIPH’s story up to that point (ALIPH, a young and dynamic organization building partnerships from the ground up and proving its mettle) and compelled us to consider how we wanted our narrative to evolve. Our origin story had been set. Now we had to talk about what we were going to do next.

When you work for an organization that is built to respond to crises, it’s usually geopolitics and emergencies that push your narrative forward. This was all too true barely a month after the Donors’ Conference, when war in Ukraine meant that it was all hands on deck—including for communications. It is a delicate balance to make the public aware of the ramifications of the destruction of cultural heritage in a country in conflict while also taking care not to endanger the people—and the artifacts—featured in those stories. This was a daily discussion in our meeting rooms, even as we all agreed it was important to tell not just ALIPH’s story but also those of our partners in Ukraine (as much as they were willing and able) and the extraordinary efforts being taken to protect the country’s vast and rich patrimony. Some of those accounts made it to the headlines, as a few of the press clippings in this section demonstrate, and some of them will only be able to be told well into the future. But with several hundred articles about the efforts to preserve cultural heritage in this country at war, I like to think that we helped make a global audience aware, even just a little, of how cultural heritage was being protected on the front lines.

We claimed Fall of 2022 as the moment to build the ALIPH brand. An immersive photo exhibition—12 panels featuring a series of our projects and honoring the operators and countries we support, complemented by an app with augmented reality scans of four remarkable heritage sites—debuted in Geneva in September. In the presence of Geneva’s City Counselor for Culture and Digital Transformation, the Director-General of the United Nations Office of Geneva, members of the ALIPH Foundation Board and Scientific Committee, ALIPH’s Executive Director opened our very first event in our home city. The exhibition— telling our story and transporting people to Agadez (Niger), the Tomb of Askia in Gao (Mali), the Arch of Ctesiphon (Iraq), Beirut (Lebanon) and more—then travelled the world itself. I was lucky enough to set the exhibition up in Mexico City during UNESCO’s Mondiacult Conference; in Paris, as part of the Musée Guimet’s Saison Afghan; in Riyadh, where it was premiered to the ALIPH Foundation Board; in Abu Dhabi, where it was featured as part of the ALIPH Forum; and I also sent it to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eritrea, and Monaco.

That fall, other events and conferences also dominated our agenda. One highlight was having the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, tour a second photo exhibit we created, Taking Action to Protect Cultural Heritage in Ukraine, displayed outside the Palais Brongniart during the 5th Edition of the Paris Peace Forum. Another was sharing the stage with Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, Chair of the ALIPH Foundation Board, and Oleksandra Kovalchuk, (then) Director of the Odesa Fine Arts Museum, during a public lecture at the Boston Fine Arts Museum to talk about the urgency of protecting cultural heritage in Ukraine.

And brewing in the background of these exhibitions and talks was also the planning for the first-ever ALIPH Forum, set to take place in early March 2023 in Abu Dhabi and designed to welcome nearly 200 delegates — representatives of NGOs, international organizations, governments, researchers, donors — to the ALIPH Family. If the Cours Khorsabad at the Donors’ Conference was the setting to tell ALIPH’s origin story, the ALIPH Forum at the Cultural Foundation was the venue to push our narrative into the future — where our partners could talk about our joint achievements and, together, we could set the stage for new endeavors to continue the critical work of protecting cultural heritage.

Our next chapter is already being written.

Media review

Behind The People

Behind ALIPH People

146 Foundation Board

148 Ethics, Governance, and Remuneration Committee

148 Finance and Development Committee

149 Scientific Committee

149 Audit Committee

150 Secretariat

153 Our ethics

Foundation Board

as of 31 May 2022

Voting Members

Vice-Chair:

Vice-Chair:

Chair: Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan (Private Donor)

Ms. Bariza Khiari (France)

HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak (United Arab Emirates)

HH Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan Al Saud (Saudi Arabia)

HE Nadia Ernzer (Luxembourg)

Dr. Mariët Westermann (Qualified Personality)

Mr. Mehdi Qotbi (Morocco)

HE Elena Rafti (Cyprus)

Mr. Wen Dayan (China)

Mr. Jean Claude Gandur (Private Donor)

Dr. Richard Kurin (Qualified Personality)

Prof. Dr. Markus Hilgert (Qualified Personality)

Non-Voting Members

Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki (Chair of the Scientific Committee, ad interim)

Prof. Marc-André Renold (Switzerland)

Mr. Ernesto Ottone Ramírez (UNESCO)

Dr. Jeffrey D. Plunkett JD (Chair of the Audit Committee)

Mr. Valéry Freland (Executive Director)

Ethics, Governance, and Remuneration Committee

Chair, Mr. Jean-Claude Gandur

Prof. Dr. Markus Hilgert

Prof. Marc-André Renold

Finance and Development Committee

Chair, Dr. Richard Kurin (United States)

HE Saood Al-Hosani (United Arab Emirates)

Ms. Irene Braam (United States)

Ms. Deborah Stolk (Netherlands)

Mr. Valéry Freland

Scientific Committee

Chair (ad interim), Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki (Algeria)

Ms. Amel Chabbi (United Arab Emirates)

Dr. Wang Chunfa (China)

Dr. Laith Hussein (Iraq)

Dr. Patrick Michel (Switzerland)

Prof. Claudio Parisi Presicce (Italy)

Prof. Eleanor Robson (United Kingdom)

Dr. Samuel Sidibe (Mali)

Dr. Bahija Simou (Morocco)

Dr. Abdullah Alzahrani (Saudi Arabia)

Audit Committee

Dr. Jeffrey D. Plunkett JD (USA)

Mr. Abderrazak Zouari (Tunisia)

Secretariat

AS of 31 may 2023

Mr. Valéry Freland Executive Director

Dr. Sandra Bialystok Communication and Partnerships Director

Dr. Maja Kominko Scientific and Programs Director

Mr. Laurent Oster, Finance and Operations Director

Dr. Bastien Varoutsikos, Strategic Development Director

Mr. Waseem Albahri, Project Manager

Ms. Gala-Alexa Amagat, Project Manager

Mr. Othman Boucetta, Chief of Staff

Mr. Adonis El Hussein, Project Manager

Ms. Alexandra Fiebig, Project Manager

Ms. Maria Gurova, Communication and Partnerships Officer

Ms. Solange Mackoubily, Administrative and Accounting Assistant

Ms. Najet Makhloufa, Finance Officer

Mr. David Sassine, Project Manager

Mr. Harry Tarpey, Strategic Partnerships Officer

Ms. Elsa Urtizverea, Project Manager

ALIPH Ukraine Action Plan team

Ms. Olena Kokliagina, Ukraine Grant Officer

Ms. Vira Orlovska, Consultant

Ms. Daryna Zhyvohliadova, Consultant

Our ethics

ALIPH’s work is guided by the following fundamental values:

• the protection of heritage

• cultural and religious diversity

• education and capacity building

• gender equality

• social cohesion and peaceful coexistence

• sustainable local development

• peace and reconciliation

• international solidarity

Ethics and financing

ALIPH takes its responsibility to fund concrete and sustainable projects seriously and the Foundation is committed to integrity and transparency in all financial matters. For these reasons, prior to receiving a contract, all potential grantees are subject to a financial due diligence process carried out by the Foundation. During the implementation of the project, grantees are required to submit regular financial and activity reports.

Colophon

Editors: Sandra Bialystok, Maria Gurova, Valéry Freland

Graphic design: EyeTalk Communication – www.eyetalkcomms.com

Translators: Mélissa Médart (EN – FR), Swisstranslate (FR – EN) – www.swisstranslate.ch

Photos: ALIPH would like to thank all its partners for providing photos of their projects. None of these photos may be reused, copied, or distributed without the express permission of the copyright owner. The following photos have been reprinted with the permission of these independent photographers and ALIPH grantees:

Cover page — © Vincent Boisot

Inside cover — © Philippe Servent

Pages 4-5 — © ALIPH – Adonis El Hussein

Page 6 — © Vincent Boisot

Pages 8-9 — © Mulugeta Wolde on Unsplash

Page 10 — © AKCSA

Page 13 — © Iraq Heritage Stabilization Program

Page 14 — © ALIPH – Adonis El Hussein

Pages 15-16 — © ALIPH – Antoine Tardy

Page 18 — © Palestinian Museum

Pages 20-29 — © ALIPH – Antoine Tardy

Page 31 — © Yann Charbonnier

Pages 32-33 — © Iconem

Page 34 — © Consultancy for Conservation and Development

Pages 36-37 — © ARC-WH

Pages 40-41 — © WMF

Pages 42-43 — © ALIPH – Sandra Bialystok

Pages 44-45 — © NRRC

Pages 46-47 — © ACHCO

Page 48 — © ALIPH – Alexandra Fiebig

Page 49 — © ACHCO

Page 50 — © ACHCO

Page 51 — © ACHCO

Pages 52-53 — © L’Œuvre d’Orient

Pages 54-55 — © ALIPH – Sandra Bialystok

Page 56 — © ALIPH – Sandra Bialystok

Page 57 — © IFPO

Page 58 — top © ALIPH – Sandra Bialystok

bottom © IFPO

Page 59 — © IFPO

Page 60 — © Vincent Boisot

Page 61 — © ISMEO

Page 62 — © Vincent Boisot

Page 63 — © ISMEO

Pages 64-65 — © RIWAQ

Page 66 — © RIWAQ

Page 67 — top © RIWAQ

bottom © ALIPH – Kristell Bernaud

Pages 68-71 — © ARC-WH

Pages 72-73 — © Philippe Servent

Page 74 — © Philippe Servent

Pages 76-79 — © NRRC

Pages 80-81 — © Kharkiv Museum

Page 83 — © Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art

Pages 84-85 — top row – all images © NRRC

bottom row (left to right)

© NRRC

© Svitlana Stryelnikova

© The Museum of History and Local Lore of Petro Kalnyshevsky, Pustovoytivka, Sumy Oblast

Transport of museum storage boxes from UK to Ukraine © unknown

© Ville de Genève

© NRRC

Pages 86-87 — © Yurii Stefanyak

Pages 88-89 — © Yurii Stefanyak

Page 90 — top © ALIPH

bottom © Yurii Stefanyak

Pages 92-93 — © NRRC

Pages 94-95 — © ALIPH

Pages 96-97 — © ALIPH – Adonis El Hussein

Page 98 — © ALIPH – Thomas Raguet

Page 100 — © ALIPH – Thomas Raguet

Page 101 — © Iconem

Page 102 — © ALIPH – Thomas Raguet

Page 103 — © Imane Atarikh

Pages 104-105 — © CyArk

Page 106 — top © CyArk, bottom © OUR PLACE The World Heritage Collection

Page 107 — © CyArk

Page 108 — © ALIPH – Thomas Raguet

Page 109 — © DNPC

Page 110 — © ALIPH – Adonis El Hussein

Page 111 — (left to right)

© Ko Hon Chiu Vincent

© UNESCO

Page 112 — © UNESCO

Page 113 — © UNESCO

Pages 114-115 — © Michael Danti

Pages 116-125 — copyright in the text

Page 123 — © Mohamed Al Baroodi Mashki Gate

Pages 126-129 — © ALIPH – David Sassine

Pages 130-131 — © ALIPH – Azhar al-Rubaie

Page 132 — top © ALIPH, bottom © Turquoise Mountain

Page 134

Top row (left to right)

© Shutterstock

© Shutterstock

© Antoine Tardy

Middle row (left to right)

© ALIPH

© ALIPH – Sandra Bialystok

© Shutterstock

Bottom row (left to right)

© Daryl Luk

© ALIPH – Elsa Urtizverea

© ALIPH – Sandra Bialystok

Page 135

Top row (left to right)

© Shutterstock

© Ministero Della Cultura

© Shutterstock

Middle row (left to right)

© Shutterstock

© ALIPH – Valéry Freland

© Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia

Bottom row (left to right)

© ALIPH – Adonis El Hussein

© Shutterstock

© ALIPH – Valéry Freland

Pages 136-137 — © Rubina Raja

Page 138 — © ALIPH – Antoine Tardy

Page 141 — © Shutterstock

Pages 144-145 — © ALIPH – Antoine Tardy

Page 147 — © ARC-WH

Pages 148-149 — © L’Œuvre d’Orient

Pages 150-151 — © ALIPH – Adonis El Hussein

Pages 152-153 — © ALIPH – Thomas Raguet

Page 155 — © AKTC