The Russian Government Will Work With Syria to Restore the ISIS-Ravaged National Museum of Palmyra

Four years after the Islamic State began its campaign to destroy
ancient cultural heritage in Syria and Iraq, the Russian government
has announced plans to work with Syrian authorities to restore
the National Museum of Palmyra.

Mikhail Piotrovsky, the director of the State Hermitage Museum
in Saint Petersburg, oversaw the signing of the agreement in
Damascus this week, according to the Art
Newspaper.

The agreement is a “tangible step in the significant development
of museum and research ties between Russia and Syria,” according to
a statement on the Hermitage’s website.

The partnership also includes representatives from UNESCO, who
will form an advisory group with Russian experts and delegates from
the Aga Khan Foundation, and conservators from
the National Museum of Oman, who will work with the Hermitage
to restore a selection of 20 Syrian artifacts.

A group of experts is also being convened to advise on the
eventual restoration of the city of Palmyra. Piotrovsky,
however, asked for patience in achieving that ultimate
goal. “We are preparing for the day after tomorrow, it’s not
yet possible to do anything tomorrow,” he said, according to the
Art Newspaper.

This is not the first time that the Russian government has
become involved in Syrian cultural affairs. In 2016, a Russian team
created a 3D model of Palmyra to evaluate changes to the city
following its partial destruction by the Islamic State.

The Russian government’s involvement in the Middle East is part
of a long-term strategy to fill the power gap left by the United
States. Russia, which has long supported Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad in the country’s prolonged and devastating civil
war, has found extra room to maneuver following the withdrawal
of US troops from Syria in October.

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