(8 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Damascus, Syria – 8 January 2025
1. Wide of artefacts inside musuem
2. Crowd inside musuem
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Rima Khawan, Chief Curator of the National Museum in Damascus:
++PART OVERLAID WITH SHOT 2 and 4++
“Things happened so fast with the fall of the regime. And that created some chaos that we experienced. For us who were entrusted with the museum, we took a preventive decision to close it and shut it down during this period. Thank God, we did not suffer any serious damage, but there was more fear than damage.”
4. Wide of Khawan
5. Mid of artefacts inside museum
6. Various of artefacts in the museums courtyard
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic ) Omar al-Azm, museum visitor:
++PART OVERLAID WITH SHOT 6++
“If this museum and its contents can get through this difficult period then it means we are strong and firm people and this gives me hope for the future.”
8. Wide of artefact and two woman interacting with it
9. Various of Damascus National Museum sign in Arabic and French
STORYLINE:
Syria’s national museum opened its doors on Wednesday for the first time after the ouster of the former president Bashar Assad, ushering in a new era for the country.
Fearful of looting, the museum in Damascus, closed its doors a month ago after the lightning offensive that ended five decades of the Assad’s family rule.
Looters have raided many security buildings around the capital, including the central bank and many of Assad’s palaces.
Full of priceless artefacts that date back thousands of years, the museum didn’t suffer any serious damage, said chief curator Rima Khawan.
Only minor damage was inflicted on building.
For many visitors, this was their first time in the museum.
Damascus is considered one of the oldest inhabited capitals in the world and Syria is home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Many of the country’s heritage sites and museums have been destroyed in the war that killed thousands and displaced half the country.
But the National Museum remaining open and in relatively good conditions, revived hope for some.
Omar al-Azm, another museum visitor, described the experience of visiting to museum as bringing him comfort and a hope for a brighter future.
"If this museum and its contents can get through this difficult period then it means we are strong and firm people and this give me hope for the future," he said.
AP video by Abd Al Rahman Shaheen
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/ed70a2cf2ac44124ba1a6762dfacd091
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in January 13, 2025, 9:05 pm.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
