The exhibition "Archaeology for a young future", set up in Qamishli thanks to the efforts of two local collaborators and officially open on the 25th April, aims at showing the role that archaeology plays in developing a sense of pride in a shared past, and of belonging to a land.
We wanted to emphasize the triumph of shared values rooted in the past over the violence of the present, for a safe future.
Local communities have a crucial importance for this exhibition: not only they are the at the center of the narrative of the panels, which show how men, women and children of this area feel a great deal of responsibility towards the site - they also have flocked to its opening, with enthusiasm and great interest.
The set-up |
The entrance |
The exhibition |
The exhibit highlights the importance of raising the awareness towards the cultural heritage, especially among children and younger generations, for archaeology contributes to the strengthening of the sense of belonging to a land, and therefore it promotes the peaceful coexistence of all those who lives in it.
Students from the University |
Students from the University |
Group photo with archaeologists coming from Damascus |
Our eagerness to communicate the contents of this exhibition to the large possible number of local stakeholders is proved by the fact that all the panels, written in English, are also translated into Arabic and Kurdish (you can find the entire set of pages at this link). Moreover, brochures have been distributed at the entrance in Arabic and Kurdish.
In this way, the message of peace is spreading from ancient Urkesh throughout all the modern communities of the area.
Reading the panels |
Interview to one of the organizers |
Distribution of flyers at the entrance |
The Armenian Father Antranik from Qamishli visit the exhibition |
Interview to one of our workmen at Tell Mozan, Mohammed Omo |
Father and son..Note, on the red page, the Arabic and Kurdish translations of the panels |