RESPONDING TO A CULTURAL HERITAGE CRISIS: The Example of the Safeguarding the Heritage of Syria and Iraq Project

Concerns about cultural heritage feature prominently in the present humanitarian crisis in Syria and Iraq. With over 250,000 dead and millions displaced, all aspects of daily life have been upended. Destruction of the region's historical sites has prompted an outpouring of international concern. Despite many humanitarian interventions designed to address the current crisis in Syria and Iraq, there have been fewer efforts to protect the heritage that represents the cultural identity of Syrians and Iraqis inside both countries. At the same time, a question keeps returning: What can we do to protect cultural heritage in this crisis? In this article, we discuss how the Safeguarding the Heritage of Syria and Iraq (SHOSI) Project has answered this perennial question.