Syrians map their musical heritage with new interactive website

An interactive website mapping Syria's musical heritage has been launched aimed at highlighting the rich artistic depth and diversity of the country, which marked ten years of conflict this week.

Action for Hope's "Syria Music Map" features 100 tracks from a variety of genres - including secular and religious themes - to preserve and spread awareness of Syria's renowned musical past and present, Al-Bawaba reported.

The collaborative endeavor - helped by the British Council - includes painstaking research and work from Syrian artists and musicians to create the interactive display, where visitors can immerse themselves in dozens of Syrian songs and sounds.

The interactive map shows the geographical origins of each song with plans to expand the collection in the coming months.

The idea of the Syria Music Map began in 2018 when researchers began compiling music from inside Syria and then recording the tracks.

The website was launched this week coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the country's uprising and subsequent war, which has left hundreds of thousands dead and displaced around half the Syrian population.

Action for Hope began in 2013 to fulfill the cultural needs of displaced people after a trip by 17 Arab artists and cultural activists to refugee camps in Turkey and Syria.

This article is part of The New Arab’s special coverage of the Arab Spring decade of upheaval. Visit our Arab Spring portal here.