The European Cultural Heritage Summit 2026 took place in Nicosia, Cyprus, from 26 to 30 May. The aim of this Summit was to explore the power of cultural heritage as a bridge for dialogue, reconciliation and peace. A topic particularly linked to the fact that both Cyprus and the city of Nicosia are divided in two, following the occupation by Turkish army of the northern half of the island, in 1974. The situation in the Middle East, which has been particularly dramatic in recent years, also reinforces the relevance of this Summit, at this time and in this very sensitive place.
RehabiMed was invited to participate in the Summit, to present the experience of the last six years in Syria, especially with the project developed in Raqqa, funded by the Cultural Protection Fund of the British Council. This was at the fifth Forum of the European Heritage Hub: “Mare Nostrum: Promoting peace through cultural heritage”, on 29 May 2026. An interesting debate, with the presence of voices from all over Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
In the different debate panels, initiatives and projects were presented that have shown the extent to which cultural heritage contributes to strengthening the social cohesion of the population hit by conflicts and to recovering their identity values. Actions that can only be carried out with the involvement of civil society, political leaders and international organisations in the protection of heritage, to build a more sustainable future.
