A new project for the recovery and enhancement of the archaeological site of the ancient city of Tire, in southern Lebanon, has been completed by the Italian UNIFIL mission.
The works involved the maintenance of the lighting system and the construction of the perimeter fence of the area of Al-Mīnā ', one of the three areas of inestimable archaeological interest located in the south-western part of the Phoenician city of the same name, containing remains from the Greek, Roman and Byzantine, among which there is a long and imposing mosaic-paved colonnaded street leading to the ancient Egyptian port, a particular arena and a vast spa complex.
The project, financed with funds from the Italian Ministry of Defense, is part of the civil-military cooperation projects included in the plan for the protection, conservation and enhancement of the archaeological heritage of Tire, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, carried out by the "blue helmets" of the Italian contingent of Unifil in close coordination with the local authorities, making use of local labor.
The initiative was particularly recognized and appreciated by the Lebanese authorities who attended the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by the mayor and president of the Union of Municipalities of Tire, Hassan Dbouk and the commander of the Italian contingent in Lebanon, Brigadier General Andrea By Stasio.
"The awareness and sensitivity of us Italian soldiers for art and culture has found expression today in this enhancement activity of the archaeological site of Tire", Di Stasio said on the sidelines of the ceremony organized in a restricted form due to the Coronavirus emergency. “I am just one of the many witnesses of a millennial relationship between two shores of the Mediterranean, between Italian and Lebanese culture. I hope that this project is a harbinger of future impetus not only in archeology and art but also in tourism and, therefore, in the economic recovery of this wonderful land ".
