Dr. Maamoun Abdulkarim
The next Global Learning Center event will be at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 23 at First Unitarian Universal Church of Wichita, 7202 E. 21st Street North in Wichita. Professor Maamoun Abdulkarim, vice-dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, will speak on protecting cultural heritage during the Syrian crises.
Tasked with managing Syrian cultural heritage during a time of significant violence across the country, Abdulkarim and his team developed proactive plans to safeguard Syrian museums and archaeological sites from theft and damage. Their primary objective was preserving Syrian heritage, transcending religious, sectarian, and political differences. By 2015, the team was able to transfer 95% of artifacts to safe locations in Damascus.
Doors for this event open at 6 p.m. with Abdulkarim’s talk beginning at 6:15 p.m. and a dinner at 7:45 p.m. The event will also be available virtually via Zoom.
