The Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Nicoletta Bombardiere, attended today the ceremony of handing over of the Serail of Baalbeck to Lebanese authorities in the presence of the Mayor of Baalbeck, Fouad Ballouk. The historical building has been restored and renovated through a one-million-euro project funded by the Italian Cooperation within the Cultural Heritage and Urban Development program (CHUD).
The restoration of the Baalbeck Serail is part of the Italian Government engagement to preserve, rehabilitate and restore some of the great archaeological sites and historical monuments in Lebanon. The CHUD project – to which Italy has so far contributed to with around 12 million euros – has been conducive to supporting local economic development, increase the quality of life in the project areas, and improve the conservation and management of Lebanese Cultural Heritage in five selected cities: Tripoli, Byblos-Jbeil, Saida, Tyre and Baalbeck. Over the years, Italian contribution and technical assi¬stance have resulted in significant restoration projects, such as the Tomb of Tyre and the complete renovation of the basement floor of the National Museum of Beirut.
