ABOUT THIS EVENT

The Aga Khan Documentation Center and the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT present an international symposium on Grassroots Initiatives in Cultural Heritage Preservation at MIT on October 18. The event, organized by Rami Alafandi, AKDC Collections Curator, will also be streamed live.

Communities around the world have demonstrated extraordinary resilience in safeguarding their cultural heritage amid armed conflict and natural disasters. This symposium seeks to examine the vital contributions of individuals and non-governmental organizations in preserving cultural heritage under such conditions. Through the exploration of cross-regional case studies and shared thematic concerns, this symposium aims to illuminate the critical role grassroots initiatives play in shaping the future of heritage preservation.

Emphasizing community engagement and local empowerment, the program foregrounds the importance of centering local voices in the design and implementation of preservation strategies. Presentations will cover a diverse array of regions and efforts, including Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, and Kosovo.

This one-day symposium will feature three presentation panels followed by a roundtable discussion focused on lessons learned and practical recommendations emerging from the case studies. The discussion aims to contextualize a framework of support for locally driven and sustainable approaches to cultural heritage preservation. Simultaneously, it will offer reflections for the international community on how to engage meaningfully in heritage protection—without reinforcing power asymmetries or diminishing the agency of those to whom this heritage belongs.

Program

9:00 – 9:10 Opening remarks from AKDC and MIT Libraries 

9:10 – 10:10 Session 1 – Community Agency in Times of Crisis and Conflict

• Preserving Heritage in Times of Crisis: A Legacy of Community Response, Kristin Parker, Lead Curator of the Arts, Boston Public Library
• Culture at the Core of Recovery: Insights into the Community Role in Preserving Aleppo’s Cultural Heritage, Ruba Tamim Kasmo,Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design, and Architecture, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif University, Istanbul (Online)

10:10 – 10:40  Coffee Break

10:40 – 12:00 Session 2 – Regional and Institutional Practices in Heritage Engagement

• Academic Contribution to Cultural Heritage Preservation in Kosovo, Florina Jerliu, Faculty of Architecture, University of Prishtina, Kosovo
• From Conflict to Conservation: The MaLiCH Project’s Approach to Protecting Libya’s Heritage, Hiba Alkhalaf,Research Associate, Department of Classics, King’s College London (Online)
• Reconstruction: Recovery and Rebuilding Projects for the Conservation and Restoration of Yemen’s Cultural Heritage, Zaydoon Zaid, Senior Cultural Heritage Adviser, Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC)

12:00 – 01:00 Lunch break

1:00 – 2:00 Exhibition visit: Ink, Stone, and Silver Light: A Century of Cultural Heritage Preservation in Aleppo, Maihaugen Gallery (MIT, Room 14N-130)

2:00 – 3:20 Session 3 – Reflections on Heritage, Identity, and Memory

• RIWAQ’s Role in the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Palestine, Shatha Safi, Director of Riwaq, and Hiba Omari, Development Officer of RIWAQ

• Cultural Heritage and Change in Iraq,Mehiyar Kathem, Deputy Director of Nahrein Network, University College London
• A Quest for Beauty Amongst the Rubble, Suha Hasan, Program Head of Climate Cartographies at the AA School of Architecture

3:20 – 3:40 Coffee Break

3:40 – 4:40 Discussion Panel

Moderator: Nasser Rabbat, Professor and Director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, MIT

• Stephannie Mulder, Associate Professor, Art History, UT Austin
• Nada Al Hassan, Cultural Heritage Expert