Heritage
The dust has settled. Peace has returned, life is reorganizing, but the inhabitants no longer recognize their city.
With the support of the ALIPH foundation, in partnership with renowned French institutions (Ecole de Chaillot, National Heritage Institute), and in collaboration with Syrian, Iraqi, or French restorers, architects and archaeologists, La Guilde works in master's work to preserve certain heritage sites. It allows local communities to reclaim a place, a history, a memory, to feel proud of it, while helping to honor the craftsmanship and ancestral know-how that it is essential to pass on to the younger generations.
Al Masfi Mosque, Iraq
In the old city of Mosul, a team is hard at work on the rehabilitation site of the al-Masfi mosque in order to bring new life to this place of worship, heavily damaged during the war and highly symbolic for the population.
A large number of Mosul heritage sites were destroyed by the bombings of 2017. Rebuilding means allowing the population to reclaim their city, a history, a memory, and to find their landmarks in the heart of this city a time disfigured.
On site and in a difficult context, our coordinator and architect Jean-Paul Lemdjedri was able to launch the project at the end of 2022. It should be completed at the end of this year 2023.
A colossal job, which the association carries out by coordinating a team of Iraqi and French architects, restorers, archaeologists and engineers.
A project that creates jobs for the local population, while highlighting traditional crafts and know-how that it is essential to pass on to younger generations.
In close cooperation with the Nineveh Antiquities and Heritage Office and the Sunni Waqf. And with the support of renowned institutions, the Ecole de Chaillot and the National Heritage Institute, which helped launch this project.
Raqqa Archaeological Museum, Syria
In Raqqa, La Guilde first led the rehabilitation of the archaeological museum building. From 2019 to 2021, the association and its partners worked
At the end of the year, it is the project of preventive conservation of the museum collection and organization of a temporary exhibition which is reaching its goal.
Before the war and the passage of Daesh, the collection numbered nearly 6 objects. Today, there are less than a thousand left.
The Guild has been implementing this project since 2022 with the local association Roya, under the supervision of restorer Hiba Albassir, archaeologist Yasser al Shuhan, and curator Dr. Andrea Becker.
The team was able to reconstruct an inventory of the archaeological objects that were saved, implement preventive conservation measures to prevent their deterioration and store them in good conditions.
At the beginning of November 2023, a unique temporary exhibition opened its doors, allowing the museum to once again welcome the public and thus give the population of Raqqa access to a considerable part of its history, its memory, its culture and of his identity.
