Press Releases
May 2017
The American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) is pleased to announce a new $900,000 cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of State and ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives (ASOR CHI): “Safeguarding the Heritage of the Near East Initiative Collaborative Service Award.” The project continues the strong partnership between ASOR and the U.S. Department of State to preserve and protect the cultural heritage of Syria and Iraq, and to extend the scope of work to include the preservation and protection of the cultural heritage of Libya. The new cooperative agreement also includes increased support for in-country projects that connect local communities to historic places and heritage.
October 2015
American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) is pleased to announce that, with a $900,000 extension to our previous one-year cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of State, the ASOR Syrian Heritage Initiative team will be able to continue its work of documenting comprehensively the current condition of cultural heritage sites in Syria and portions of Iraq and to assess future restoration, preservation, and protection needs.
October 8, 2015
The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) and American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) announced today that they have jointly received a Chairman’s Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support a two-day invitational summit in Washington, D.C., on December 10–11, 2015. During the summit, representatives from organizations engaged in collecting data on the cultural heritage of Syria will agree upon ways to cooperate and reduce duplication of effort. NEH Chairman William “Bro” Adams will be in attendance for the public event to be held on Friday, December 11, at the National Geographic Society.
September 21, 2015
U.S. Department of State, the ASOR Syrian Heritage Initiative team will be able to continue its work of documenting comprehensively the current condition of cultural heritage sites in Syria and portions of Iraq and to assess future restoration, preservation, and protection needs. Now known as ASOR’s Cultural Heritage Initiatives—Planning for Safeguarding Heritage Sites in Syria and Iraq, this program will continue to raise global awareness of the threats to cultural heritage while also implementing future projects and providing immediate assistance within the region.
February 3, 2015
J.M. Kaplan Fund awards ASOR $57,000 to expand its Syrian Heritage Initiative. On January 13, 2015, the J.M. Kaplan Fund awarded the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) $57,000 to expand its Syrian Heritage Initiative.
November 17, 2014
Syrian Heritage Initiative Symposium. Non-profit and Department of State to Host Symposium on Syrian Cultural Heritage, San Diego, CA (November 23, 2014).
November 13, 2014
The Renaissance of Archaeology in Iraq. Harvard Professor to be Keynote Speaker at Near Eastern Archaeology Conference, San Diego, CA (November 19, 2014).
September 23, 2014
Threats to Cultural Heritage in Iraq and Syria. Office of the Spokesperson, Washington, DC.
September 22, 2014
Remarks at Threats to Cultural Heritage in Iraq and Syria Event. Remarks by US Secretary of State John Kerry at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
September 21, 2014
Threats to Cultural Heritage in Iraq and Syria. Jen Psaki, Department Spokesperson, Washington, DC.
August 4, 2014
Initial project announcement. Syrian Heritage Initiative: Planning for Safeguarding Heritage Sites in Syria