Mariam Bachich

Community-based Rural Heritage Management in Syria Mariam Bachich

The urgent need for heritage management has been identified by many stakeholders and has even become a cornerstone in the preservation of a heritage. Yet heritage authorities tend to be exclusively interested in ?big?, and ?important?, national/ international heritage items. In Syria, like other countries, attention is mainly directed to its big archaeological sites, even though the country is rich in history, nature and culture. Undoubtedly, the nation?s multitude of its heritage makes it difficult for Syrian heritage authorities to monitor and manage all aspects of its heritage on a fair balance of interests. Therefore, this study was carried out in order to raise awareness about ?Rural Syrian Heritage? and its importance to the country?s national identity. Although rural heritage in Syria is extremely varied, it is only partly known and often neglected by its own people. In addition, this study has introduced a new heritage management plan involving the local community which is still not widely used feature. The plan for community?based rural heritage management has been developed beside a detailed case study after different researches on cultures, heritage, laws, and management