“Voices of Palmyra”: Syrian heritage takes shape through embroidery in Bucharest

In the photograph taken at the end of the workshops, participants hold their work: panels with geometric patterns, embroidery in wooden hoops, rosettes and colourful borders. They started with the same patterns, but each chose how to make them their own. As they worked, conversations turned to the places they came from, their families and life in Romania.

The four sessions brought together 25 members of the Syrian community at Jesuit Refugee Service Romania (JRS Romania) in Bucharest. We organised the workshops in collaboration with the University of Lausanne (Université de Lausanne, UNIL) in Switzerland, under the scientific direction of Dr Patrick M. Michel, helping participants connect with Syrian heritage through history, embroidery and shared experiences.

Palmyra, a meeting place for cultures

Palmyra, also known as Tadmur, is an ancient city situated in an oasis in the Syrian desert, north-east of Damascus, in the Homs region. Its position on the trade routes linking Asia with the Mediterranean world made it an important meeting place for people and cultures. Its temples, theatre and colonnaded streets reflect this history, in which local traditions blended with Graeco-Roman and Persian influences. (Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre)

Syria’s cultural heritage was deliberately targeted and destroyed by extremists, while the war also damaged archaeological sites, historic cities and monuments. Photographs, drawings and documents held in archives have therefore become essential to understanding them. The University of Lausanne holds the archive of Swiss archaeologist Paul Collart, who studied the sanctuary of Baalshamin in Palmyra. This documentation helps preserve the memory of the monument and share its history.

The workshops connected this work of documenting heritage with people’s own experiences. Decorative motifs from Palmyra became patterns for embroidery, which participants reinterpreted through their own colours, stitches and compositions. For some, the city also held personal meaning, connected to the region where they grew up or places they visited as children.

From drawings on paper to embroidery of their own

Each session combined discussions about heritage with practical work. Wasfi Al Nassef, the workshop coordinator and cultural heritage facilitator, introduced Palmyra’s history using Arabic-language educational materials provided by the Voices of Palmyra programme. These materials were co-created with Syrian refugees in Jordan and the University of Lausanne (UNIL). They helped participants reflect on Palmyra’s monuments, trade links and cultural diversity. Participants explored images, recognised decorative motifs and discussed the memories they brought back.

Embroidery instructor Mohammad Zakarya Tahhan guided participants in using the needle, thread and embroidery hoop. From their first stitches, they moved on to transferring designs onto fabric, choosing colours and creating more complex patterns.

The group brought together 22 women and three men, aged between 16 and 60. Some attended with family members. Everyone worked at their own pace, with support for the stages that required more patience or practice.

Gradually, conversations broadened to include the heritage of other Syrian cities. Participants spoke about monuments, crafts and traditions from their home towns. Their knowledge and memories became part of what everyone learned during the sessions.

Memories of Syria and new connections in Romania

For one participant from the Homs region, exploring Palmyra’s history offered an opportunity to speak about the heritage of her home region and her longing for Syria. During the workshops, she also met members of the Syrian community she had not known before.

Another participant, who had recently arrived in Romania, remembered visiting the city as a child:

“It reminded me of my childhood. We used to go to Palmyra on school trips.”

For her, the sessions were also an opportunity to meet people. Participants exchanged phone numbers and practical information about life in Romania, including sewing and clothing alteration services and other useful resources within the community.

A fine arts graduate from Damascus spoke about how art can convey a country’s culture. She sees the pieces she creates by hand as a way of showing others where she comes from and what she values. She appreciated the freedom to choose her own design and the opportunity to meet people whose experiences differed but who shared a connection with Syria.

Twenty pieces, each with its own colours and choices

The four sessions produced a collection of 20 textile pieces: decorative panels, circular or oval compositions and a fabric bag. Geometric patterns, rosettes and borders were combined in different ways, according to each person’s preferences.

Some pieces remained works in progress, as there was not enough time to complete every detail. Most participants chose to donate their creations to the project so that their work could be shared with others.

What participants would like to do next

The women we interviewed told us they would like more time for embroidery, as well as for conversation and shared activities. They suggested exploring the heritage of other Syrian cities and meeting people from other communities to learn about one another’s traditions.

There were also suggestions for sewing or embroidery courses leading to recognised qualifications, and for projects in which participants could work together. These ideas open up possibilities for future initiatives, which would need suitable resources and partners.