Page 64 - Post Summit_2019_AV

60 Ms Afeiche spoke about a historical episode of cultural vandalism and restoration, recounting her institution’s descent into the chaos of Lebanon’s Civil War and its re-emergence, scarred but protected, to be embraced once again by the community. “The first challenge was to open the doors and to invite people in to reconnect with their past. The museum looked like a Surrealist museum filled with objects covered by large blocks of concrete,” said Ms Afeiche. “We didn’t even know what was hidden inside. We were quite sure that the collection was still there, but we couldn’t tell what was really badly damaged.” After years of rehabilitation and reconstruction, the museum fully reopened in 2016, 41 years later. Dr Touqan wondered whether, after everything the people and heritage of the Middle East have been subjected to, heritage professionals are really equipped to deal with the size and complexity of post-conflict and crisis challenges. “These historic sites are also people’s homes. It’s not only the beautiful facades and the actual architecture, they are living cities where people have not only lost their homes, their dreams have been suspended. Can we expect them to plug back in if their home or school is gone or if they can’t have running water?” Doubting whether the existing protocols and international conventions were up to such a task, or even that heritage and museum professionals were prepared enough, Dr Touqan suggested that something more than a cultural policy shift was needed. Agencies other than UNESCO should assume the responsibility, she argued. “Wehavetodealwiththisnewsituationwiththeaidofnewtechnology, and there should be more than a shift. We need a revision of all the charters, and even the convention and the guidelines, because when you are dealing with a living city you are dealing with people and you have to bring them back in good shape and condition.”