Syria committed to better cultural, tourism relations with Nigeria – Envoy

The Head of Mission/Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Abuja, Mr. Firas Alabduallah, has reiterated his country’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Nigeria, especially in the cultural and tourism sub-sectors.

Speaking to our correspondent on the sidelines of the 14th International Arts and Crafts (INAC) Expo 2021 organised by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Thursday in Abuja, the Syrian envoy explained that the Embassy’s participation in the expo for the fourth consecutive year was noteworthy.

“We are delighted to participate in this expo, which reflects the tremendous efforts made by the National Council for Arts and Culture and its Director General, Mr. Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, and this participation aims to strengthen cultural and tourism relations between Syria and Nigeria for their mutual benefit and that of their two friendly peoples.

“This participation is also an opportunity to promote the ancient civilisation and history of Syria, the country that is distinguished by its cultural and historical richness,” he said.

The envoy also stressed that Syria presented mankind with the first alphabet, and both the oldest city and the oldest inhabited capital in the world are in Syria (i.e. Aleppo and Damascus).

He added that, “Syria also has a number of sites listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, such as Bosra and Palmyra. Syria has embraced many successive civilizations in addition to the monotheistic religions on its land.

“However, with the outbreak of the crisis in Syria, the treacherous hand of terrorism extended to wreak havoc and sabotage, as a large number of historical and archaeological monuments were subjected to widespread destruction as a result of this barbaric terrorist attack that targeted the achievements of the present and the memories of the past, which constitutes a loss not only for Syria but for all humanity.

“This also had serious negative repercussions on tourism, which was an important tributary to the Syrian economy, which in turn contributed to the deterioration of the economic situation, especially under the siege and the unjust coercive measures imposed on Syria”, he explained.