The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO' s World Heritage Committee approved the inscription of villages in northern Syria into the World Heritage List.
The approval was during the 35th annual meeting of UNESCO's committee which is currently being held in Paris.
In a press statement UNESCO said the 40 ancient villages of northern Syria provide testimony to rural life in late antiquity and during the Byzantine period.
Syria's Permanent representative to UNESCO, Ambassador Lamia Shakkour, on behalf of Syrian leadership and people, thanked UNESCO member countries, the World Heritage Committee and the International Council on Monuments (ICOMOS) for the adoption of this decision and the announcement of the global extraordinary value of these 40 villages which date back to different ancient times.
Shakkour said the decision affirms that Syria, which has more than 5000 ancient sites and the seventh of which to be listed on the World Heritage List, has been enjoying a civilized position that everyone must testify.
She added that the registration of the ancient villages in northern Syria on the World Heritage List came as a result of intensive efforts of the national teamwork and cooperation with international working groups for about 3 years in the framework of carrying out the implementation of "Syrian cultural vision project."
The number of the Syrian ancient sites listed on the World Heritage List has become seven sites. Damascus old city in 1979, the ancient city of Bosra and Palmyra 1980, Aleppo old city in1986 in addition to Krak des Chevaliers and Salah Eddin castles in 2006.
Source: SANA [June 28, 2011]
The approval was during the 35th annual meeting of UNESCO's committee which is currently being held in Paris.
In a press statement UNESCO said the 40 ancient villages of northern Syria provide testimony to rural life in late antiquity and during the Byzantine period.
Syria's Permanent representative to UNESCO, Ambassador Lamia Shakkour, on behalf of Syrian leadership and people, thanked UNESCO member countries, the World Heritage Committee and the International Council on Monuments (ICOMOS) for the adoption of this decision and the announcement of the global extraordinary value of these 40 villages which date back to different ancient times.
Shakkour said the decision affirms that Syria, which has more than 5000 ancient sites and the seventh of which to be listed on the World Heritage List, has been enjoying a civilized position that everyone must testify.
She added that the registration of the ancient villages in northern Syria on the World Heritage List came as a result of intensive efforts of the national teamwork and cooperation with international working groups for about 3 years in the framework of carrying out the implementation of "Syrian cultural vision project."
The number of the Syrian ancient sites listed on the World Heritage List has become seven sites. Damascus old city in 1979, the ancient city of Bosra and Palmyra 1980, Aleppo old city in1986 in addition to Krak des Chevaliers and Salah Eddin castles in 2006.
Source: SANA [June 28, 2011]