Amid War, Volunteers Try To Save Gaza's Past, One Artefact At A Time
Volunteers in Gaza are working to preserve thousands of years of cultural heritage, including ancient mosaics and artifacts, amidst ongoing conflict. The effort aims to protect historical sites that have been damaged by airstrikes and shelling.
Why it matters
The preservation of cultural heritage during war is a critical effort to maintain national identity and history against the backdrop of humanitarian crisis.
Armed with paintbrushes and wearing surgical gloves, volunteers inside a large tent in Gaza delicately brushed dust from a stone mosaic before placing it into storage, part of an effort to preserve cultural heritage hit by war.More than 160 historic and cultural sites across the Palestinian territory have been damaged during the conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to the United Nations.Many of these artefacts date back thousands of years."Several mosaic artworks have been lost or destroyed, either completely or partially," said Mohammed Abu Lahia, a Palestinian visual artist taking part in the preservation efforts in the south Gaza city of Khan Yunis."It is important that we work to revive this art, remind our children and our community, and send a message to the world that we are committed to our heritage and our Palestinian cause."Beyond archaeological treasures, more recent cultural artefacts are also at risk of being damaged or…
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