On October 1, 2020, RehabiMed launched the Project ” Documentation and Protection of CulturalHeritage in Raqqa City”, from the damage caused by the occupation of the Islamic State. The Project proposes to form a team of local experts for an assessment of the state of monuments, assessment of damage and consolidation interventions. Beyond the overall assessment of the damage to the city’s heritage, a damage classification will be established for prioritization and the project will focus on the emergency works of the al-Mansur Grand Mosque, the precinct of the city, al-Hamidi mosque and al-Banat castle. At the same time, actions will be launched to involve the local population in this work and make this precious heritage known. This project is carried out with the Milà i Fontanals Institute (CSIC), Heritage for Peace and the Northeast Syrian Authority, with funding from the Cultural Protection Found of the British Council.
Raqqa is a historic city, located in northeastern Syria, along the Euphrates River. With a population of around 200,000, it was incorporated as the capital of the Islamic State in 2014 until in 2017, when it was expelled by the Kurdish army which currently maintains control. The city and its surroundings conceal a great monumental and archaeological wealth which dates back more than 3000 years. The battles that have taken place in this area and the action of ISIS itself have caused destruction to the cultural heritage of the city which requires urgent actions for its consolidation and preservation.