Beirut: The Ministry of Culture - Directorate General of Antiquities announced that part of a building located on property number 1 in Al-Rummaneh, Tripoli, collapsed early Sunday morning, the 18th of this month. In response, the Director General of Antiquities, Engineer Sarkis Khoury, promptly visited the site to evaluate the situation. A meeting was convened with the Mayor of Tripoli, Dr. Abdul Hamid Karima, and the Head of the Engineers Syndicate in Tripoli, Engineer Shawqi Fatfat. Additionally, contact was made with the Head of the Higher Relief Commission, Brigadier General Bassam Nabulsi. Urgent measures were taken to ensure public safety.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the Directorate General of Antiquities will begin collaborating with the European Institute for Cooperation and Development (IECD), with funding from the Aliph organization, to reinforce the remaining section of the building. This initiative is part of the Directorate's strategy to preserve Tripoli's historical heritage and prevent further demolition and loss.
The Director General of Antiquities has confirmed that three adjacent buildings in the area will also be reinforced as part of the same funding. Emphasizing reinforcement over demolition, the Ministry of Culture - Directorate General of Antiquities has completed the first phase of an engineering survey of heritage buildings in the city. This survey was conducted in collaboration with the Engineers Syndicate, the European Institute for Cooperation and Development (IECD), and iconem, with financial support from the British Council. The Directorate is actively seeking additional funding from other parties to secure and restore the city's damaged structures.