Damascus-Sana
The People's Assembly, in its ninth session of the second special session held today, chaired by Hammouda Sabbagh, Speaker of the Assembly, continued the discussion of the draft law on intangible cultural heritage.
At the beginning of the session, a number of members of the Council affirmed in their interventions that Syria is passing through a delicate stage in which all the old and new colonial powers gathered in an attempt to undermine its patriotic and national constants, but the resisting Syrian people will defeat colonialism and its agents, stressing that the presidential elections are the fruit of the steadfastness of the Syrian people and the culmination of democracy and its practice. In word and deed.
The members of the Council indicated that the presidential elections are a new confirmation from the Syrian people that Syria is a country that cannot be undermined, and the enemies cannot achieve through the siege what they have failed to achieve through the field, and no one in the world has the right to decide the future of Syria except the Syrian people.
With regard to the draft law on intangible cultural heritage, the members of the Council agreed to Articles 5 to 16, which deal with the objectives of heritage preservation plans that the Ministry of Culture should put in place, including "ensuring proper guidance and optimal investment for international cooperation programs in the field of heritage and the protection of threatened heritage elements."
Heritage preservation measures in accordance with the articles include “preserving information and material things related to the heritage, preparing the necessary places for its practice and providing the necessary support for the sustainability of the heritage, such as teaching, transfer of knowledge and skills, and the exchange of experiences.” The ministry must take the measures required by the urgent preservation requirements for the heritage that is threatened or exposed to threatening dangers. Its survival or integrity, including the immediate recording of the heritage and the collection of related tangible items.
The articles also deal with the Ministry’s tasks for the sake of preserving, disseminating and promoting the heritage, including recognition of knowledge-bearers as “living human treasures”, providing them with material and moral support, spreading awareness of heritage in coordination with the educational authorities, strengthening communication with organizations, associations and external institutions concerned with heritage and benefiting from their experiences and activities. And invite heritage researchers and specialists in the world to visit Syria and establish joint heritage activities in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
The recognized person is considered a "living human treasure" according to the articles an expert approved by the ministry in the field of knowledge, experiences, skills, or competencies that have been recognized as a basis for them and he may submit his proposals and observations related to them to the National Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage directly for consideration and determination of appropriate procedures in their regard. The Minister of Culture has the right to contract permanent or temporary experience contracts with those whom it is decided to recognize as living human treasures, according to controls that take into account their privacy in terms of age and qualification.
The Council also referred the new draft law regulating the creation of the Syrian Chambers of Industry and the Federation of Chambers of Industry to the Economic and Energy Affairs Committee to discuss a topic and prepare the necessary report on it, after the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee agreed to consider it constitutionally.
The session, which was attended by the Minister of Culture, Dr. Labana Mashouh, and the Minister of State for People's Assembly Affairs, Eng. Malloul Al-Hussein, rose to 12 noon tomorrow, Tuesday.
Wasim Al-Adawi
