It Belongs In a Museum!

"It," in this case, means a sign of a hopeful new beginning. Tonight's Illumination is about an aspect of conflict I don't think many of us consider.

Syria has been living through years of internal battle and civil war, but finally, finally, there are some signs of improvement. Damascus, an important and ancient city, is currently restored to peace, and city officials are taking a moment to show the people of the city their optimism. Something that had happened early in the fighting was that the national museums were closed and artifacts either moved or hidden, hoping to keep them safe.

While not everything survived unscathed, Sunday the Syrian National Museum reopened its doors and allowed the people to see their past once again. Many artifacts were recovered, having been smuggled out of the country or looted by the Islamic State. More work remains to be done, but in the meantime, the city of Damascus is reminding people that they're still here. They have not been, and will not be, destroyed.