Syrian Tourism Day in Madrid highlights terrorists’ sabotage against heritage

04/07/2014

Damascus, SANA – Syria is organizing a Tourism Day in the Spanish capital Madrid with a particular view to provide an insight into the sabotage inflicted upon the country’s heritage back home at the hands of the terrorist groups.

The Syrian Tourism Day, which kicked off Wednesday at the Syrian Cultural Center in Madrid, is being held in cooperation between the Tourism Ministry Director and ‘Friends of Maaloula’ association.

The association was formed in support of Maaloula, a town in Damascus Countryside with a Christian population where terrorism took a severe toll after terrorist groups ran over it, only to later come under the army’s control last April. Aramaic, the original language of Christ, is still spoken by the inhabitants of the town.

Director of Promotion and Marketing at the Ministry Bassam Barsik said in a statement to SANA that the opening of the Tourism Day, the third in Madrid that will run through July 31, included activities to familiarize the Spanish people with the acts of theft and sabotage that have befallen the archeological sites in Syria, as inflicted by the armed terrorist groups, intentionally to a large extent.

A raft of photos, videos and reports have been posted on the internet, showing the massive damage caused to archeological and religious sites and monuments in Syria, most often on purpose.

These deliberately inflicted acts of sabotage have been dismissed by the Syrian government as attempts at targeting-and effacing if possible-the historical and cultural heritage and civilization of Syria.

“This heritage concerns the entire humanity and not just Syria, and it is of the utmost importance to protect it,” Barsik said.

The opening activities included a photo exhibition that showcased pictures of landmark archeological sites in Syria before and after the damage caused by the terrorist acts.

In addition to that, five films were screened promoting tourist and archeological attractions in the country.

Famous Damascene sweets and drinks peculiar to Syria were served to the visitors, who also were given old coins and souvenirs featuring miniature tableaus of the Ugarit alphabet. “Maaloula..yesterday..today…better tomorrow” were written on the tableaus.

H. Said