The Euphrates Heritage House

Report on Syria TV

5th March 2020

The Euphrates Heritage House is a key component of the Eye on Heritage ‘Heritage of the Euphrates’ project.

“It has been said that once you have drunk from the waters of the Euphrates you will never forget its taste.”

The Euphrates region is distinguished by its wealth of popular poetry and folklore singing. The multiple civilisations which have inhabited the Euphrates valley through history have given the region a unique dialect combining a mixture of Bedouin, rural and urban accents.

In an effort to preserve Euphratean musical and literary heritage, a group of young men from the Deir ez-Zor province of Syria have established the Euphrates Heritage House. This centre is located in the Turkish province of Urfa (Şanlıurfa), which has recently become a centre for refugees from the Euphrates and Jazirah regions of Syria.

The centre has developed a variety of programs to encourage young people to increase their interest and understanding of traditional Euphratean heritage. Video recordings are made by the team to document the fragile traditions which have been badly affected by war and displacement.

Different episodes have been filmed across the villages and towns of Deir ez-Zor province. In each of those episodes, one of the local notables has been interviewed in order to elaborate more about the place, its heritage, traditions, notables and key historical stories.

Euphratean songs have also been featured in these programs, developed and produced by young people who have the Euphrates water running in their blood, even when they live in exile.

“If your water is undrinkable, come to the freshwater, if you have no glass, I will water you from my hands…”