Ministry of Culture and U.S. Embassy celebrate Mussaylha Fort Project
In the presence of Minister of Culture Ghassan Salamé, U.S. Ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa, and a gathering of local officials and cultural heritage leaders, the Lebanese Ministry of Culture and U.S. Embassy Beirut celebrated the completion of the preservation and restoration work at the Mussaylha Archaeological Site.
The four-year project was made possible through a grant of $210,000 from the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). The project restored and reinforced the historic Mussaylha Fort, preserved its architectural character, and improved the road to the site as well as safeguarded local traditions, including restoring the operation of the Fort's historic mill and providing a natural water reservoir and workshops dedicated to training local farmers on the best and most environmentally friendly agricultural tools and practices. A documentary of the project titled “Mussaylha Fort Through History” is available on YouTube.
During the celebration, Minister Salamé stated: “Preserving cultural heritage protects the memory and identity of a place while creating opportunities for its future. The Mussaylha project brings these aims together: alongside conserving the fort, it reactivated its historic mill, revived traditional crops, and supported local farmers in adopting sustainable practices. I thank the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, the Directorate General of Antiquities, Jouzour Loubnan, the Municipality of Hamat, and the local community for making this work possible.”
In his remarks, Ambassador Issa stated “The Mussaylha project reflects the strength and depth of U.S.-Lebanon ties and over two hundred years of friendship. The United States is committed to supporting Lebanon's sovereignty, security, and economic future. But we also believe that Lebanon's cultural heritage is an important part of its identity. Preserving that heritage means protecting Lebanon's history for future generations.”
Issa also announced that starting this year the U.S. Government will invest $436,827 USD to preserve a Roman-era archaeological site in Chehim and revive its centuries-old olive oil tradition. The Embassy will partner with the Ministry of Culture and Beit el Baraka on the new project.
The Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, known as AFCP, is among the U.S. Government’s most significant cultural initiatives abroad. Over the past 25 years, the United States has partnered with Lebanon to support 25 AFCP projects totaling over USD $2 million to protect archaeological sites across the country and preserve the shared human heritage that defines the region's identity, from the Beiteddine Palace to the Mar Bichay Hermitage in Qadisha Valley to the Saida Sea Castle.
The U.S. Congress established the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation in 2001 to preserve a wide range of cultural heritage, including historic buildings, archaeological sites, ethnographic objects, paintings, manuscripts, and indigenous languages and other forms of traditional cultural expression.
AFCP projects may support post-disaster and post-conflict recovery, create economic opportunities, and build mutual understanding. AFCP projects typically involve expert local partners and promote the use of traditional materials and methods.
“The AFCP program reflects American values and demonstrates U.S. friendship. Since its establishment in 2001, the United States has supported over 1,250 AFCP preservation projects in 130 countries,” an Embassy statement said.
Source: Naharnet
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