Latest news with #GhassanSalameh
Arab Times
a day ago
- General
- Arab Times
Arab cities must revive, not just restore, heritage buildings: forum
BEIRUT, July 28: Lebanese Minister of Culture Ghassan Salameh emphasized on Monday the vital importance of preserving and reviving heritage sites in Arab cities, stating that restoration alone is insufficient to maintain their relevance and vitality. His remarks came during the opening session of the 9th Regional Forum of the Architectural and Urban Heritage Observatory in Arab Countries, organized by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and held in Beirut. In his address, Salameh highlighted that heritage preservation in Arab cities is both a long-standing and necessary pursuit. 'It is not enough to restore historical buildings,' he stated. 'We must also revive them by reintegrating them into daily life—be it through housing, workplaces, or social activities—so that they remain living elements of our communities.' He stressed that the true challenge lies not merely in conserving stone structures, but in ensuring these historic areas continue to serve people and society. Salameh further praised ALECSO's efforts and called for more Arab heritage sites to be documented, protected, and revitalized, encouraging active use and community engagement rather than passive restoration. Speaking at the same event, Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director General of ALECSO, noted that the forum brings together leading experts and academics to explore strategies for preserving architectural and urban heritage in the face of rapid urbanization, uncontrolled development, and economic pressures. Dr. Ould Amar emphasized the importance of effective tools for documentation, monitoring, and protection. He said the observatory serves not only as a technical instrument for tracking heritage sites, but also as a cultural platform for launching initiatives and encouraging public participation. 'We must establish a new cultural outlook on heritage,' he stated, 'one that acknowledges how preserving our past enriches both our present and future.' He underscored the necessity of building strong partnerships between government, civil society, and academic institutions to support heritage preservation. The ALECSO chief also underscored the value of regional cooperation in the face of shared challenges, such as conflict and natural disasters, and praised the growing number of Arab heritage sites recognized by UNESCO's World Heritage List. He reaffirmed ALECSO's readiness to support Arab nations in preparing nomination files for additional sites. Representing Kuwait at the forum, Mahmoud Al-Rabiah, an engineer from the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (Historic Buildings Restoration Department), told KUNA that the forum annually discusses each Arab country's contributions to preserving historic buildings and urban heritage. He noted that participating countries submit documentation files for evaluation by the observatory in preparation for their inclusion in the Arab Heritage List. The forum serves as a platform for countries to present heritage sites of significant architectural and historical value. It also provides an opportunity to share experiences, assess preservation methods, and coordinate regional efforts to safeguard urban heritage. The event is set to conclude on Wednesday, at which point ALECSO will announce the selected sites to be added to the registry of architectural and urban heritage, a list maintained by the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States.
L'Orient-Le Jour
4 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
In Nabatieh, nearly 70% of heritage buildings uninhabitable
Among the destruction in southern Lebanon, heritage buildings with their distinctive traditional architecture hold a prominent place. A report presented Thursday during a conference at the National Library in Beirut — initiated by Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh — provides, for the first time since the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, specific data concerning heritage damage in the city of Nabatieh and four neighboring figures, compiled by Biladi, an association specializing in heritage preservation, show the extent of the destruction: nearly 70 percent of the surveyed heritage buildings have become relatively pessimistic about the prospect of rapid reconstruction — citing reasons including ongoing Israeli attacks and likely delays in aid — Salameh said Biladi's report offers essential data...
L'Orient-Le Jour
22-07-2025
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Ghassan Salameh receives families of Aug. 4 victims
BEIRUT — Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh on Monday received a delegation of families of victims of the Beirut port explosion at his office in the National Library. They were joined by members of the awareness campaign "Al-Chahed al-Samet" (the silent witness), a representative from the indictments chamber, engineers, and heritage preservation groups. Advisory architect Jad Tabet was also in attendance. The families of the Aug. 4 victims plan to hold a press conference Wednesday at noon at the Press Club in the Palm Center building, to announce and invite people to the commemorative and protest march on Aug. 4. The meeting with the culture minister focused on the consequences of the port tragedy, the right of the victims' families to know the truth and see those responsible for this crime brought to justice. The delegation reiterated its demand that the Beirut port grain silos be dedicated as a memorial, as witnesses to the catastrophe, independently of upcoming judicial decisions. Minister Salameh, for his part, emphasized that he has been following this issue for some time with all concerned parties, conducting numerous consultations with specialists and cultural heritage experts, in order to study reports on the status of the silos. He expressed hope that a desirable decision would be reached before next Aug. 4, the fifth anniversary of the explosion. The Beirut port tragedy, which claimed the lives of nearly 250 people and destroyed a significant part of the capital on Aug. 4, 2020, will be commemorated next month. Those responsible for the explosion, which was worsened by a large quantity of ammonium nitrate stored at the port, have yet to stand trial. The latest development: former prosecutor general of the Court of Cassation, Judge Ghassan Oueidate, did not appear Monday at a scheduled interrogation session before investigating Judge Tarek Bitar of the Court of Justice, who had summoned him as part of his investigation.
MTV Lebanon
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- MTV Lebanon
Culture Minister broaches latest developments, cultural ties with Brazilian Ambassador
Minister of Culture Ghassan Salameh received in his office at the National Library in Sanayeh, the Ambassador of Brazil to Lebanon, Tarcisio Costa, accompanied by the head of the cultural department at the embassy, Pablo Romero. The discussion reportedly touched on the current situation and developments in Lebanon and the region, as well as the bilateral relations between the two countries, especially the cultural ones. Following the meeting, Ambassador Costa said: 'I was pleased to meet the Minister, and as usual, it was a fruitful and positive meeting during which we discussed the mechanism of cooperation between us and matters of common interest, especially those related to the Rashid Karami International Exhibition, which was designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. We also exchanged views on the local, international and regional situations and developments.'
LBCI
12-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Saudi Ambassador visits Culture Minister to discuss strengthening cultural ties
Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Bukhari, met with Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh in what he described as a protocol visit to reinforce bilateral cultural relations. "We wished to begin our round of visits with Minister Salameh and to explore ways of enhancing our deeply rooted cultural ties, along with broader cooperation between the two countries," Bukhari said following the meeting. The visit concluded with a joint tour of the National Library, highlighting shared interest in cultural heritage and exchange.
