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With Israeli air strikes hitting less than one kilometre from Baalbek, concerned are growing about the safety of Lebanon's Unesco World Heritage Site.
Conservation bodies Unesco and Aliph have told The National that they are taking steps to the safeguard historic location and similar sites.
Listed as a World Heritage site in 1984, Baalbek is a Roman complex with a multicultural history dating back 11,000 years. Its temples are thought to have been built between the second and third century and the site is regarded as one of the largest and best-preserved examples of ancient Roman architecture.
Valery Freland, executive director of Aliph (the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas), has held talks with the Lebanese government to safeguard the site and has issued emergency funds to help.
“I was in Lebanon a few days ago to evaluate the situation with the director general of antiquities of Lebanon and his team,” he said. “We continue to maintain very close contact with them and they are keeping us updated on the threat to cultural heritage in the country.
“We have already adopted an initial emergency measure of $50,000 so they can start to protect the cultural heritage. We are ready to provide more assistance wherever it is needed and as quickly as it is required.”
A Unesco spokesperson said it has partnered the United Nations Satellite Centre to provide data on the state of Baalbek through the use of remote sensing tools and satellite imagery analysis.
“Unesco is closely following the impact on Lebanese cultural sites such as Baalbek,” the spokesperson said. “Unesco is in contact with site managers to assess the state of conservation at the sites and help take protective measures where necessary."
The conservation efforts come after an Israeli air attack inflicted damage about 700 metres away from Baalbek Castle, according to the city's mayor, Bachir Khodr. “The black smoke that rises from the strikes will affect the stones of the ruins negatively,” he said. “In addition, there's a significant risk that tremors from the strike will harm the structure.”
Meanwhile, efforts to protect Palestinian heritage sites have also been ramped up by Unesco as the war continues. In July, the Palestinian archaeological site Tell Umm Amer, featuring the monastery of Saint Hilarion, was added to the World Heritage List following an emergency nomination in New Delhi.
Located south of Gaza city, the fourth century site comprises ruins that include two churches, a burial site, a baptism hall, a public cemetery, an audience hall and dining rooms.
More than 200 of Palestine's historical and archaeological sites were damaged or destroyed in the first three months of the war, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Culture.
Palestine currently has five sites on the World Heritage List: the Church of Nativity of Bethlehem, first completed in 339; the village of Battir in southern Jerusalem famed for its olive groves and vine fields; the Tell es Sultan site (also known as Ancient Jericho) that contains archaeological deposits dating back to 10,500BC; Al-Khalil Old Town in Hebron; and Tell Umm Amer.
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Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
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The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
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Smart words at Make Smart Cool
Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night.
Prince Ea
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Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
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A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
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Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
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Started: November 2017
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if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Specs
SCHEDULE
Thursday, December 6
08.00-15.00 Technical scrutineering
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