The 4th cycle of the International Seminar on Heritage Interpretation and Presentation for Future Generations is themed "Conflicting Discourses in Interpreting Contested Heritage: The Role of Diverse Communities in Fostering Dialogue." This year’s seminar provides a platform for inclusive and constructive engagement around heritage sites shaped by modernization, colonization, and war—places often marked by conflicting historical narratives and contested memories.

By bringing together scholars, civil society actors, and youth, the seminar seeks to amplify underrepresented voices and promote multi-perspective approaches to interpreting heritage. The 2025 edition places particular emphasis on how diverse communities can play a transformative role in fostering dialogue, supporting peacebuilding, and enabling reconciliation.

This is a collaborative project between Birkbeck, University of London, Bard College, Deir ez-Zor Museum, Deir ez-Zor Heritage Library and Heritage Voices (Aswat AlTurath) initiative. It is funded by ACLS Digital Justice Development Grants in May 2025.

The project aims to insert and amplify local Syrian voices, giving communities a platform to share their stories alongside traditional archaeological narratives. By introducing local perspectives and affordances, it seeks to rebalance a one-sided history and make digital archives more accessible to a wider range of users. Deliverables include oral histories, an enriched dataset, digital training for students and marginalized professionals, and an optimized browsing interface.

The project DuRAT Dura-Europos Rehabilitation Archaeological Taskforce Brings together an international team of world-leading experts on the site, and supported by an advisory team, DuRAT aims to protect the site of Dura-Europos at this crucial time: ensuring local people are safe from hazards there, documenting the current state of the site, and mitigating looting, so that plans can be made for the future. Key to this is working closely with local stakeholders and Syrian colleagues, to build strong relationships in local communities and strong capacity among heritage professionals in Syria. Our project was formed urgently as the regime fell.

Diasporic Syrian Heritage in London- From Academia to community engagement

The event, titled "Diasporic Syrian Heritage in London," is an integral part of the Undisciplined Spaces program at King’s College London- in collaboration with the Young Foundation and Hikayetna -Our Story.

Sensing Place is an innovative ommunity heritage initiative that empowers people from all backgrounds to explore, document, and interpret their personal and collective heritage using accessible digital tools.

The 3rd International Semiar: Interpretation and Presentation of Contested Heritage towards Truth and Peace-building

June 2024, London

The seminare hosted by King’s College London and co-organized with Seoul National University- Institute of international studies, ICOMOS International Committee on interpretation and presentation of Cultural Heritage Sites ICIP, Our World Heritage, International Collaboration of Sites of Conscience.