Heritage and Resilience: Sustainable Recovery of Historic Syrian Cities

This study investigates the challenges and opportunities of balancing cultural preservation, tourism investment, and community resilience in historic Syrian cities during the post-war recovery period. The Syrian conflict has imposed considerable harm upon the nation’s cultural heritage, encompassing...

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Main Authors: Emad Noaime, Mohammed Mashary Alnaim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Buildings
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/14/2403
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author Emad Noaime
Mohammed Mashary Alnaim
author_facet Emad Noaime
Mohammed Mashary Alnaim
author_sort Emad Noaime
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates the challenges and opportunities of balancing cultural preservation, tourism investment, and community resilience in historic Syrian cities during the post-war recovery period. The Syrian conflict has imposed considerable harm upon the nation’s cultural heritage, encompassing UNESCO World Heritage sites, thereby interrupting not only the urban infrastructure but also local economies and social networks. Utilizing a comprehensive methodology that includes a literature review, stakeholder interviews, and local surveys, this research investigates the potential for aligning cultural preservation with tourism investment to promote sustainable economic revitalization while simultaneously enhancing social cohesion and community resilience. The results underscore the significance of inclusive governance, participatory planning, and capacity enhancement to guarantee that post-conflict urban redevelopment fosters enduring environmental, social, and cultural sustainability. By framing the Syrian case within the broader context of global urban sustainability and resilience discourse, the study offers valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and heritage managers working in post-conflict or post-disaster environments worldwide. In the end, the study highlights that the revitalization of historic cities transcends being a simple technical or economic endeavor; it is a complex process of re-establishing identity, strengthening communities, and fostering sustainable, resilient urban futures.
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spelling doaj-art-c9531083fd3a4d8992f8d947efa2f1c62025-08-20T03:36:19ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-07-011514240310.3390/buildings15142403Heritage and Resilience: Sustainable Recovery of Historic Syrian CitiesEmad Noaime0Mohammed Mashary Alnaim1Department of Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Hail, Hail 2240, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Hail, Hail 2240, Saudi ArabiaThis study investigates the challenges and opportunities of balancing cultural preservation, tourism investment, and community resilience in historic Syrian cities during the post-war recovery period. The Syrian conflict has imposed considerable harm upon the nation’s cultural heritage, encompassing UNESCO World Heritage sites, thereby interrupting not only the urban infrastructure but also local economies and social networks. Utilizing a comprehensive methodology that includes a literature review, stakeholder interviews, and local surveys, this research investigates the potential for aligning cultural preservation with tourism investment to promote sustainable economic revitalization while simultaneously enhancing social cohesion and community resilience. The results underscore the significance of inclusive governance, participatory planning, and capacity enhancement to guarantee that post-conflict urban redevelopment fosters enduring environmental, social, and cultural sustainability. By framing the Syrian case within the broader context of global urban sustainability and resilience discourse, the study offers valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and heritage managers working in post-conflict or post-disaster environments worldwide. In the end, the study highlights that the revitalization of historic cities transcends being a simple technical or economic endeavor; it is a complex process of re-establishing identity, strengthening communities, and fostering sustainable, resilient urban futures.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/14/2403historic Syrian citiescultural heritage preservationsustainable tourismcommunity resilienceurban sustainabilitypost-war reconstruction
spellingShingle Emad Noaime
Mohammed Mashary Alnaim
Heritage and Resilience: Sustainable Recovery of Historic Syrian Cities
Buildings
historic Syrian cities
cultural heritage preservation
sustainable tourism
community resilience
urban sustainability
post-war reconstruction
title Heritage and Resilience: Sustainable Recovery of Historic Syrian Cities
title_full Heritage and Resilience: Sustainable Recovery of Historic Syrian Cities
title_fullStr Heritage and Resilience: Sustainable Recovery of Historic Syrian Cities
title_full_unstemmed Heritage and Resilience: Sustainable Recovery of Historic Syrian Cities
title_short Heritage and Resilience: Sustainable Recovery of Historic Syrian Cities
title_sort heritage and resilience sustainable recovery of historic syrian cities
topic historic Syrian cities
cultural heritage preservation
sustainable tourism
community resilience
urban sustainability
post-war reconstruction
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/14/2403
work_keys_str_mv AT emadnoaime heritageandresiliencesustainablerecoveryofhistoricsyriancities
AT mohammedmasharyalnaim heritageandresiliencesustainablerecoveryofhistoricsyriancities