ASOR Syrian Heritage Initiative
The Department of State and the American Schools of Oriental Research have established a 12-month, multipronged program — the Syrian Heritage Initiative (SHI) — to plan and implement cultural property protection and preservation projects in Syria in the short- and long-term to address the ongoing crisis and to prepare for the inevitable reconstruction process. SHI consists of three major units: cultural heritage communications, satellite remote sensing and mapping, and preservation planning. SHI remotely monitors and evaluates risks, evaluates damage, and ultimately seeks to increase risk preparedness, mitigate adverse impacts, and preserve vital human resources and infrastructure for the future. SHI develops durative institutional collaborations and broad coalitions of CPP experts and other stakeholders to achieve results. ASOR represents the ideal umbrella organization for SHI given its long record of successful scientific cooperation with Syria, its international outreach capacity, and its impressive institutional infrastructure.