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⇒ Episode 9 - New Goals 1 - Recognise and protect our diverse identities and our common heritage

Preservation and Development - MAM

Project implemented by the Government of Syria (www.mam-sy.org)

Damascus, Syria

December 2010

Project co-financed by the European Commission

(programme funding is temporarily suspended by the EU)

Bilateral government agreements comprise a large chunk of the funding for development cooperation initiatives in the world. Donor funding to development actors is usually coherent with its agreements in that country. Through such a five–year bilateral agreement with the Syrian government, the European Union contributed 18 million Euros in 2005 to the government’s Municipality Modernisation Programme (MAM). This programme aimed at improving the quality of life in urban centres and the effectiveness of local governance in fourteen urban centres of Syria, including Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Hama, Palmyra, Tartous. Its projects included support to tourism, solid waste management, traffic control, citizen information windows. As part of this contribution, the European Union funded pilot projects in six Syrian cities that aimed at modernising local administrative laws, creating jobs, improving environment practices, making financial management more efficient. This five year flagship programme of the EU-Syria cooperation in the region, concluding in 2010, was implemented in fourteen Syrian towns and cities.

As part of the MAM cooperation programme, the European Union contributed to the preservation of the old city of Damascus. Damascus, founded in the 3rd millennium B.C., Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. Declared a world heritage site in 1979 by UNESCO, Damascus has 125 monuments from different periods of its history – one of the most spectacular being the 8th-century Great Mosque of the Umayyads, built on the site of an Assyrian sanctuary. The old city of Damascus is considered to be among the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. By virtue of its geographical position at the crossroads of the orient and the occident, Damascus was an important cultural and commercial centre. Excavations at Tell Ramad on the outskirts of the city demonstrate that Damascus was inhabited as early as 8,000 to 10,000 BC. Old City of Damascus inhabitants and other users living in and using a socially, economically, culturally and environmentally sustainable environment;

The European Union, as well as some of its individual member states, supported the Damascus Municipality in preserving the old city centre of Damascus while developing it as a tourism destination, i.e. through the rehabilitation, maintenance and renewal of the Old City. The activities included the conservation and rehabilitation of old houses and heritage neighbourhoods, developing maps and signages for tourism itineraries, improving access to old neighbourhoods and promoting the re-use of old buildings.

In cooperation with the German cooperation agency, the Governorate of Damascus set up a consultation service for owners of buildings/ builders within the Old City where low-interest loans and incentives were provided to owners of old buildings for restoration and rehabilitation. The public spaces of the old city, its management and visibility, rehabilitation of old structures, have immensely improved because of this project. The European Union also facilitated a conference of 110 city mayors to discuss and agree on a draft white paper on “Sustainable Urban Development in Syria”.

As always, when tourism increases in any area, and people start earning from tourism activities, the property prices rise. Tourism development in old city centres is no exception. And the old city centre of Damascus is no exception to this trend. Since the rehabilitation of old buildings in Damascus is very expensive, many owners prefer to sell their properties and leave rather than rehabilitate. If structures and spaces of the old city are used mainly for only tourism, like restaurants, hotels, café’s, and the presence of residents diminishes, the traditional cultural ambience will be negatively impacted. The old city of Damascus risks becoming an architectural heritage museum devoid of the local culture. In order to prevent this trend, the German cooperation agency, GIZ, facilitated a number of awareness building activities to inform property owners on the benefits of rehabilitating their buildings. GIZ also started giving soft loans to local residents so that they would rehabilitate and remain in their homes. These loans were supported by technical and financial consultancy.

The project staff of GIZ took us to the old city and showed us houses that were rehabilitated through the soft loans and other incentives they had provided and demonstrated the impacts of some activities implemented through their funds.

The second phase of the MAM programme, the decentralisation and local development programme, was launched in 2011. Unfortunately, grants that were allocated for Phase 2 of MAM have unfortunately been suspended due to the ongoing political and security situation in Syria

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Additional Notes

The implementing partners of this project were the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment of Syria, Governorate of Damascus, and the cities of Aleppo, Homs, Tartous, Hama and other towns, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Investment Bank.

The local government in Aleppo received strategic support for urban development in order to develop a strategy for improving the living conditions in informal settlements and facilitating citizens’ initiatives. The local government has also received support for the Old City administration through promotion of economic activity in traditional crafts (textiles) and implementing the conservation and development plan in certain areas.

“We do not want our city to become a museum because it is expensive to renovate old buildings and owners therefore prefer to sell and leave rather than rehabilitate. We are giving soft loans supported by technical and financial consultancy. Besides this, we are conducting a lot of awareness building activities to inform owners of the advantage of renovating and services being offered for the same”, says an employee of the German cooperation agency

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Aimed at improving the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of local governance structures and processes and make them more participatory at the local levels, the Municipality Administration Management (MAM) programme of cooperation between the European Commission and the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic is one of the best practices among development and decentralisation projects funded through European tax payer money.

Aimed at stimulating local development through support to tourism, solid waste management, traffic control, citizen information windows, the phase I of MAM has been implemented in 14 towns and cities in Syria including Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Hama, Palmyra, Tartous. Grants that were allocated for Phase 2 of MAM have now been suspended due to the current political and security situation in Syria. The implementing partners of this project were the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment of Syria, Governorate of Damascus, and the cities of Aleppo, Homs, Tartous, Hama and other towns, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Investment Bank.

In Damascus, this project focused on sustainable urban development through the rehabilitation, maintenance and renewal of the Old City. The activities included the conservation and development of the heritage of the old city by improving the urban spaces, signage, creating tourist itineraries with the aim of offering residents and visitors the opportunity to avail modern services within an authentic traditional environment.

In cooperation with the German cooperation agency, the Governorate of Damascus set up a consultation service for owners of buildings/ builders within the Old City wherein low-interest loans and related incentives have been provided to owners of old buildings for restoration and rehabilitation. To this end, pilot projects have been initiated in public private partnerships, renewable energy and energy efficiency. The public space of the old city, its management and visibility, has improved through this project.

The initiative has been supported by awareness and capacity building of Syrian experts in Europe. As part of the national debate on sustainable urban development policy, a conference of 110 city mayors was held to discuss and agree on a draft white paper on “Sustainable Urban Development in Syria”. Recommendations to the Syrian Government based on this are expected to lead to the formulation of a sustainable urban development policy.

The TVP team went to the Old city and talked to the staff of the German cooperation agency, the Damascus municipality employees and the owners of old buildings.
“We do not want our city to become a museum because it is expensive to renovate old buildings and owners therefore prefer to sell and leave rather than rehabilitate. We are giving soft loans supported by technical and financial consultancy. Besides this, we are conducting a lot of awareness building activities to inform owners of the advantage of renovating and services being offered for the same”, says an employee of the German cooperation agency

Additional Information

In our documentary, we will show the difference between the ongoing restorations in the city centres of Beirut and Damascus; highlighting why there is a need for peace, dialogue and a sense of community in order to preserve the heritage and why the preservation of heritage is not based on financial resources but requires dialogue and cooperation. We will also touch on why the preservation of heritage and traditions is an asset for all and not just for the local community. This is why we believe that building global partnerships for development (MDG 8) is in synergy with preserving traditional values that are global assets.

Web sites with additional information about the project/action:
[1]

Syria - Preservation and Development - MAM - Damascus