The images, set up under the patronage of the Syrian tourism ministry, want to emphasize an aspect that is systematically ignored: due to an inconceivable and unacceptable war, the greatest destruction is taking place, which has never happened in today's time, of an unrivaled historical, artistic and archaeological heritage.
Syria was the central point in the history of mankind, so much so that UNESCO counted six world heritage sites well before the war: the cities of Damascus and Aleppo, the oldest urban settlements still inhabited, Bosra, ancient capital of the Nabataean Kingdom and Roman provincial capital, the ruins of Palmyra, the crusader castle of Krak of the Knights, considered the most important example of medieval military engineering in the Near East, the citadel of Saladin, near Al-Haffah, built on the remains of a Phoenician fortress.
Besides these main sites there are dozens of others of inestimable value, because everything in Syria, every corner, every glimpse of the road, along the Mediterranean coast in Latakia or in the Damascus souk, testifies to its millenary history. The numerous places of worship, such as Christian churches or even the graves of important personalities of Islam, are systematically attacked by Islamic terrorists and fundamentalists and defended by Syrians, whether they are soldiers of the regular army or ordinary citizens; the inaugural debate of the exhibition moderated by the president of Sol.Id. Ada Oppedisano, who began by quoting Andrè Parrot, the French archaeologist of the early twentieth century and first director of the Louvre museum in Paris according to whom "Every civilized person in this world must say that he has two homelands, his own and Syria".
The first illustrious guest to speak was Msgr. Hilarion Capucci, archbishop of Jerusalem, who focused on the transformation of Syria, the center of the entire Arab world, from heaven to hell, due to the war: “Restoring peace in Syria is absolutely essential. In war there are no winners or losers: we are all losers ”.
The war is therefore the inexorable cause of destruction of history, which has devastated Syria and which, in terms of violation of sovereignty and destruction of heritage, is also affecting Iraq; the Iraqi ambassador to the Holy See, Habeeb Mohammad Hadi Ali Al Sadr, spoke in the name of this country. "The spirit of the East that hovers over our cities, makes it a source of envy, and swells hatred in those who, in the name of a religious belief, are destroying all that is cultural and beautiful shone on our countries". The ambassador focused on the religious pluralism that has always characterized countries like Iraq and Syria, thus denying that behind the atrocities committed by the terrorists there are elements that can be traced back to the Muslim world; concludes by inviting the West to acknowledge the wise invitations of the Supreme Pontiff Francis: "If the West does not stop financing terrorism, it will be forced to fight it in its own territory, because in Syria and Iraq terrorism is fought to save the whole of humanity ".
The intervention of Imam Ali Hasan Ramadan, of the High Commission of Islamic Scientists in Syria, was significant, reiterating the absolutely peaceful coexistence of each religious confession in Syrian land: "They wanted every Syrian to forcefully take the wing of his religion, they wanted to divide us to create hatred and destruction; they killed in the name of freedom, democracy, reforms and change, but what have we come to? This has done nothing but destroy schools, universities, churches and mosques ”.
The Imam then went on to examine the terrorist groups that are financed by those same world leaders who took to the streets to bring solidarity to the victims of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper: "Why didn't they take to the streets for the thousands of Syrian children killed? Do they have blue blood? "The Imam then concluded by pointing out that Islam is the religion of love and mercy and that therefore it is inconceivable and unacceptable to kill in his name.
The word was then passed to the landlord, Msgr. Mtanious Haddad, a Greek-Melkite Catholic Archimandrite, who first of all observed a minute of silence for all the victims, then spoke of the hope of a return to Syria of peace, one in which Christians have welcomed the Muslims, and with whom they have lived in harmony for more than fourteen centuries: “this is our heritage to be saved; in Syria there is no mention of 'minorities', everyone has their own rights and duties, but first of all we are all Syrians ”.
The only solution to end terrorism, according to Father Haddad, is to close the borders with Turkey, drain the wells of Qatar and stop funding for this new terrorism of international origin.
The intervention of the journalist and war guest Gian Micalessin was significant, who spoke of the difficulty encountered in wanting to tell the war in Syria, a war not only fought on the ground, but also in the media; where from the beginning there has been a clear sabotage of the truth.
"I started for the first time in Syria in the 2012 because I was not entirely clear on the image provided by the Western media that spoke of only one 'bad guy' President Assad, who with his army massacred his own people. The reality was exactly the opposite; all those fundamentalist groups, of which the West only realized today, were already there before; unfortunate that it was from that West that it was armed: Hollande asked to stop the embargo in order to arm the 'rebels', same thing as Cameroon, while Obama wanted to bomb Damascus. The blame for the degeneration that followed is ours, the fault lies with the West ”.
Marco Hosseyn Morelli, spokesman of the ass. Islamic “Imam Mahdi”, who reiterated the non-existent connection between the Islamic religion and the terrorist groups and movements that kill civilians and sow terror.
"Islam does not profess hatred and destruction: for the Islamic religion we must instead fight the oppressors and defend the oppressed".
Then the director of the Iranian Cultural Institute (photo below), dr. Pourmarjan who focused on the archaeological and historical beauties of this part of the world, underlining the strong will of the Syrians not to be able to allow prevarications in terms of sovereignty. "To decide the fate of Syria, let the Syrians decide their own fate," he concluded.
Finally, Dr. Jamal Abo Abbas (in the photo in the center), president of the Syrian community in Italy, who together with Sol.Id. organized the exhibition; after thanking the mystery of Syrian tourism who provided the images, he listed ten points that explained in a clear and precise way the real reasons for the war, now absolutely evident four years later.
The war is destroying Syria's present, but it also wants to destroy its past. In this spirit, the exhibition, open to the public until Sunday 15 February when at 10.30 there will be the Mass for Peace officiated by Mons. Hilarion Capucci, wants to open our eyes to what is absolutely serious and irremediable is happening in the country that is the cradle of civilization.
Source / photo: International volunteer association Solidarité Identités
