Treasures of Palestine

No, this is not a fairy tale, or the title of a new comic book… it is rather the story of a treasure that deserves our full attention. The Occupied Palestinian Territory has several archaeological sites that constitute an exceptional cultural heritage. Why is Première Urgence Internationale interested in this subject? Discover the genesis of a program that offers several development perspectives for generations of young Palestinians living under occupation.

^{Protection, preservation and promotion of historical and archaeological sites in the Gaza Strip © Première Urgence Internationale}

Through the discovery of archaeological sites, a whole dynamic has been set in motion around federative activities that allow young people from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank to value their heritage, while drawing up future perspectives on both a personal and professional level.

The INTIQAL program creates a virtuous circle by linking the themes of heritage preservation, long-term socio-economic development, and multiple benefits in terms of sustainable development, strengthening the resilience of local populations, and promoting Palestinian cultural heritage locally and internationally. Let’s look back at the key steps of the project.

Key figures of the project INTIQAL

• 10 youth technicians have been employed at the St. Hilarion site and have gained experience since 2018.
• 300 volunteers have participated in various community activities.
• 84 graduates in archaeology and architecture including 48 young women received various trainings in archaeology, photogrammetry, oral history to intangible cultural heritage.
• 16 children participated in the development of the interactive brochure “The Palestinian Cultural Heritage” during the spring of 2022.
• Over 22,000 people have visited St. Hilarion’s Monastery since 2018.
• Over 4,000 people have attended awareness sessions on the importance of Palestinian cultural heritage.
• More than 10,000 people have actively participated in online awareness campaigns and reported increased awareness of the importance of Palestinian cultural heritage and archaeological sites.

This virtual visit of the atrium of the Saint-Hilarion Monastery will give you a first glimpse of the site.

You can also travel through time thanks to a 3D visit of the Saint-Hilarion Monastery and the Byzantine Church of Jabaliya.

Read also: Culture: a driving force for sustainable development in the Gaza Strip and see: the traditional culinary heritage, the places of history, as well as the traditional agricultural techniques told by the Palestinians.

This project is funded by the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund, in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Affairs, Culture, Media and Sport, the French Development Agency, and the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas – ALIPH.