Grassroots Initiatives in Cultural Heritage Preservation

This collection contains video of the presentations given during Grassroots Initiatives in Cultural Heritage Preservation, an International Symposium organized by the MIT's Aga Khan Documentation Center and the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture on Saturday, October 18th, 2025. Presentations included efforts to conserve historic sites that have been destroyed, damaged, or threatened by conflicts in Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Palestine, Syria, and elsewhere. Below are the description and program of the event.

Communities around the world have demonstrated extraordinary resilience in safeguarding their cultural heritage amid armed conflict and natural disasters. This symposium seeks to examine the vital contributions of individuals and non-governmental organizations in preserving cultural heritage under such conditions. Through the exploration of cross-regional case studies and shared thematic concerns, this symposium aims to illuminate the critical role grassroots initiatives play in shaping the future of heritage preservation.

Emphasizing community engagement and local empowerment, the program foregrounds the importance of centering local voices in the design and implementation of preservation strategies. Presentations will cover a diverse array of regions and efforts, including Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, and Kosovo.

This one-day symposium will feature three presentation panels followed by a roundtable discussion focused on lessons learned and practical recommendations emerging from the case studies. The discussion aims to contextualize a framework of support for locally driven and sustainable approaches to cultural heritage preservation. Simultaneously, it will offer reflections for the international community on how to engage meaningfully in heritage protection—without reinforcing power asymmetries or diminishing the agency of those to whom this heritage belongs.

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Program and Speakers

9:00 - 9:10 Opening remarks from AKDC and MIT Libraries 

• Émilie Songolo, Head of Distinctive Collections, MIT Libraries 
• Rami Alafandi, Collections Curator, Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT Libraries 

09:10 - 10:10 Session 1: Community Agency in Times of Crisis and Conflict

Moderator: Matt Saba, Program Head, Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT Libraries 

• Preserving Aleppo’s Memory: The Role of Social Media and Community Archiving, Kristin Parker, Lead Curator of the Arts, Boston Public Library
• Culture at the Core of Recovery: Insights into the Community Role in Preserving Aleppo’s Cultural Heritage, Ruba Tamim Kasmo, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design, and Architecture, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif University, Istanbul (Online)

10:10 - 10:40 Coffee Break

10:40 - 12:00 Session 2: Regional and Institutional Practices in Heritage Engagement

Moderator: Michael Toler, Archnet Digital Librarian, Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT Libraries 

• Academic Contribution to Cultural Heritage Preservation in Kosovo, Florina Jerliu, Faculty of Architecture, University of Prishtina, Kosovo
• From Conflict to Conservation: The MaLiCH Project’s Approach to Protecting Libya’s Heritage, Hiba Alkhalaf, Research Associate, Department of Classics, King’s College London (Online)

12:00 - 01:00 Lunch break

1:00 - 2:00 Exhibition visit: Ink, Stone, and Silver Light: A Century of Cultural Heritage Preservation in Aleppo, Maihaugen Gallery (MIT, Room 14N-130)

2:00 - 3:20 Session 3: Reflections on Heritage, Identity, and Memory

Moderator: Rami Alafandi, Collections Curator, Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT Libraries 

• RIWAQ’s Role in the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Palestine, Shatha Safi, Director of RIWAQ, and Hiba Omari, Development Officer of RIWAQ
• Cultural Heritage and Change in Iraq, Mehiyar Kathem, Director, Liwan for Culture and Development 
• A Quest for Beauty Amongst Rubbles, Suha Hasan, Program Head of Climate Cartographies at the AA School of Architecture

3:20 - 3:40 Coffee Break

3:40 - 4:40 Discussion Panel

Moderator: Nasser Rabbat, Professor and Director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, MIT

• Stephennie Mulder, Associate Professor, Art History, UT Austin
• Nada Al Hassan, Cultural heritage expert (Online)

Closing remarks: Rami Alafandi 

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Symposium Academic Committee 

• Dr. Nasser Rabbat, Professor and Director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT
• Dr. Ruba Kasmo, Associate Professor, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif Üniversitesi, Istanbul 
• Dr. Rami Alafandi, Collections Curator, Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT

Symposium Organizing Committee 

• Dr. Matt Saba, Program Head, Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT
• Dr. Rami Alafandi, Collections Curator, Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT
• Dr. Michael Toler, Archnet Digital Librarian, Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT
• Aya Fujita Ross, Administrative Assistant, MIT Libraries