Syria has been returning 23 archaeological artefacts from the Arab World Institute in Paris, which were on loan from the institute since 2010, in a bid to recover and preserve the nation’s cultural heritage, with the aim of increasing cultural cooperation with France.

The artefacts were transferred to Damascus International Airport and then handed over to the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM), which will organise a special public exhibition for these artefacts.

African and Arab artefacts, coinciding with French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Damascus, had cultural and political meaning, Culture Minister Mohammad Yassin Saleh told SANA.

The move was a sign of confidence in Syria’s ability to protect its archaeological heritage, following years of work to restore the country’s museums and improve security procedures over cultural collections, Saleh said.

The recovered collection contains artefacts from the 10th millennium BC to the Arab-Islamic period and reflects the richness and diversity of the historical heritage of Syria, the minister said.

The collection reflects several of Syria’s most famous archaeological sites, such as Ugarit, Palmyra, Qasr al-Hayr and Mari, said Director-General of Antiquities and Museums Masoud Badawi to SANA.

This will allow visitors and researchers to see the collection of artefacts, which will be conserved in accordance with international conservation standards before the artefacts are displayed in a dedicated exhibition at the National Museum in Damascus.

The return of the artefacts is another development in Syria’s work to return cultural property to its museums and to enhance international cooperation to protect and recover Syria’s archaeological heritage.