00:03When French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Damascus on an official visit, he brought
00:08along more than just a delegation. 23 ancient Syrian artifacts have finally returned home
00:14after a 15-year delay. Why were these ancient pieces in France? Back in 2010, Syrian museums
00:21loaned these priceless treasures to the Arab World Institute in Paris for an exhibition on
00:26Arab civilization. But when Syria's devastating civil war broke out the following year, returning
00:32them became impossible. French authorities said they kept the objects secured in Paris
00:37to protect them from conflict, destruction, and illicit trafficking. The return collection
00:42spans millennia from prehistoric tools to Islamic-era treasures, including stunning fresco panels
00:49from Kasser al-Hayr and rare sculptures from Palmyra and Mari. With security restored to
00:55the region, France has safely delivered them back to the National Museum of Damascus, marking
01:01a major milestone for Syria's cultural rebirth.
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