Cultural heritage in Syria is an important factor that can contribute to reaching a solution to the conflict and to work towards building a lasting peace. It leads to building a state based on active and undiminished citizenship, where social diversity is protected.

This document provides an overview of how cultural heritage in Syria has been affected by the conflict. The paper studies the impact of cultural heritage on internal and external displacement and studies the current status of cultural heritage in places of displacement and in host communities. It also studies the sector's role in encouraging and/or enabling returns, and the opportunities that can be invested in or built on to support return policy proposals. In addition, the document analyzes the impact of the conflict on cultural heritage in terms of service provision and how cultural heritage affects the political and military situation as well as its effect on other sectors.