PROTECTING, RESTORING AND COMMUNICATING CULTURAL HERITAGE IN LEBANON: FROM THE “SOAB PROJECT” TO THE USEK MUSEUM

The blast in the port of Beirut had catastrophic consequences not only in human, economic and social terms, but also caused an important crisis for the preservation of the vast cultural heritage in the Lebanese capital. In this context, an international agreement between the School of Conservation and Restoration of the University of Urbino, USEK and IIC-Beirut, called the SOAB project, has made it possible to establish a collaboration aimed at developing best practices for the recovery and restoration of movable works of art damaged during the traumatic event. The project is not only dedicated to the recovery of damaged heritage, but from a sustainable and long-term perspective it aims to produce a transfer of knowledge and skills for the training of professionals in the field of conservation and restoration in Lebanese territory. The first phase of project management and the hypothesis of a new data management model from the restoration laboratories made it possible to establish the first communication and dissemination activities of contents regarding the care of cultural heritage both with physical/analog methods and through digital media. Hopefully, the same methodology will be applied to the conservation of the USEK Museum collection, incorporating archaeology, ceramics, icon, painting, sculptures, metallics and contemporary art.