Erasing Memory: Palmyra Removes the Names of Secular Cultural Figures

Erasing Memory: Palmyra Removes the Names of Secular Cultural Figures

The Palmyra District Administration has issued a decree renaming several schools and educational institutions, a move that included stripping the names of two of Syria’s most celebrated cultural figures: archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad and writer Abdul Salam al-Ujayli. Under the new directive, Khaled al-Asaad School has been renamed Palmyra Secondary School, while Abdul Salam al-Ujayli School now carries the name Al-Sawwana. The decision is part o…

In Syria, renaming schools fuels debate over historical and cultural diversity

A decision by the administration of the Palmyra region in Syria to adopt new names for a number of the city’s schools has reopened debate over a growing trend in Syria: the removal of names of national and cultural figures from public spaces and their replacement with neutral or religious names reflecting a single identity.While this process is sometimes presented as part of “reorganization,” many see it as a sign of deeper changes affecting the…