UNESCO to rehabilitate iconic Sursock Palace damaged by Beirut blasts

Beirut, Oct 14 The UNESCO has announced that it has reached an agreement with the Swiss government and the Sursock Palace Association to finance the rehabilitation of the Sursock Palace, an iconic building damaged by the Beirut port blasts two years ago.

"The Sursock Palace is a gem of Lebanese architecture and a powerful symbol of pride and resilience for the Beirut community, " UNESCO's Director General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement on Thursday.

According to UNESCO, the rehabilitation is made possible by the important work carried out by UNESCO and a start-up company ICONEM, which specialises in the digitisation of endangered cultural heritage sites in 3D, Xinhua news agency reported.

"UNESCO has prioritised the rehabilitation of the palace because of its architectural and urban importance, and its significant role in Beirut's history ... We hope that further investments will be made in cultural heritage, which is at the very heart of UNESCO mandate," said Costanza Farina, Director of the UNESCO regional bureau in Beirut.

The Sursock Palace Association will progressively open the palace to the public as a private museum and a cultural hub, providing a space for the cultural and creative industries to exhibit their work and engage with the community, the statement added.

Lebanon's capital city Beirut was rocked by two massive explosions on August 4, 2020, killing more than 200 people and injuring more than 6,000 others.