Beirut: Minister of Culture Dr. Ghassan Salameh and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Honor Frost Foundation, Alison Cathie, have signed a cooperation agreement at the National Library – Sanayeh to digitize the journal Baal in Arabic, English, and French, and to republish it after a six-year hiatus. Present at the signing was Engineer Sarkis Khoury, the Director General of Antiquities.
According to National News Agency – Lebanon, the agreement includes financial support of nearly 150,000 USD for the digitization project, in collaboration with ALIPH. Dr. Salameh emphasized the importance of archaeology, stating that it is a long-term process that contributes significantly to understanding and rewriting history. He expressed gratitude towards the Honor Frost Foundation for enabling the relaunch of the Baal journal, which he hopes will serve as a central hub for scholarly communication among archaeologists worldwide.
Salameh also praised ALIPH for its contributions to the project, highlighting their previous efforts in preserving cultural heritage following the Beirut Port explosion and other initiatives across the country, particularly in Tripoli. He expressed his pleasure at the partnership between ALIPH and the Honor Frost Foundation, anticipating increased global engagement with Lebanon’s archaeological resources.
Alison Cathie conveyed her enthusiasm for reviving Baal, which she described as a valuable reference for archaeology enthusiasts. She highlighted the foundation’s ongoing commitment to Lebanon, with projects and educational activities worth over $4.78 million since 2012. The foundation has also supported maritime archaeological research along the Lebanese coast in various locations, including Sidon, Tyre, and Byblos.
The Honor Frost Foundation, named after the maritime archaeology pioneer Honor Frost, focuses on supporting maritime archaeology in the Eastern Mediterranean. Frost, who passed away in 2011, had dedicated her estate to establishing the foundation, emphasizing research in Lebanon, Cyprus, and Syria. Her work in Lebanon, particularly at ancient ports, has significantly contributed to the field.