AC and the Syriac Heritage Museum Launch New Website to Preserve Heritage
June 9, 2023
Digitization is critical to protecting and preserving our shared history. Technology is making it easier than ever for communities to document their rich heritage and make it easily accessible worldwide.
On May 9 at a ceremony held in Erbil, Iraq, the Antiquities Coalition (AC) and its partners at the Syriac Heritage Museum were proud to announce the launch of a new website. The website is one result of a two-year digitization and documentation project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
At the heart of the SHM website is the digital database of the Museum’s collection, an exhibition created by the project’s digitization team in Erbil. The website is one of the few in the world that can be viewed in the four languages of Kurdish, Arabic, English, and Suret. It documents the cultural and artistic heritage of Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people for researchers, scholars, and the public to view online, and it will help to archive the museum’s collection and attract new visitors.
The event was attended by government officials and members of the community, including Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul Najeeb Michael and U.S. Deputy Consul General Zehra Bell, who both spoke on the importance of this new resource.
The AC works on projects across the Middle East and North Africa, and recently hosted a free, online Arabic-language training on digitization, documentation, and preservation strategies for museums that attracted over 1,400 registrants.
As technology continues to play a significant role in maintaining and sharing cultural heritage, the AC looks forward to partnering with like-minded organizations, government agencies, and more to safeguard our shared history.
Explore the website here.