Feature: Syrian lawyer takes on mission to save books from war-Xinhua

Feature: Syrian lawyer takes on mission to save books from war

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2023-10-04 06:08:45

Alaa al-Sayyed, a lawyer by profession and a historical researcher by passion, browses through books at his bookstore in Aleppo, Syria, on Sept. 26, 2023. In the heart of the bustling city of Aleppo in northern Syria, Al-Sayyed has spent more than 10 years on the rescue of the old books of Syria. (Photo by Monsef Memari/Xinhua)

by Hummam Sheikh Ali

ALEPPO, Syria, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- In the heart of the bustling city of Aleppo in northern Syria, Alaa al-Sayyed, a lawyer by profession and a historical researcher by passion, has spent more than 10 years on the rescue of the old books of Syria.

Al-Sayyed began to collect books and documents in Aleppo in 2012, when the city was burning from the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011. Three years later, he launched a project to document the old books and publications under the name of Aleppo National Archive.

In 2018, Al-Sayyed started making digital copies of the books and uploading them online out of a passion for preserving history and a great affection for both books and his city. He continued to find rare and antiquated books and spent many hours making digital copies of them.

"We tried to salvage what we could through creating digital copies," the 52-year-old man recalled, regretting that many valuable books, magazines, and documents were burnt in Aleppo during the civil war.

As peace began to return to Aleppo, Al-Sayyed realized that there was a need to place his books on bookshelves for readers who prefer physical books in today's fast-paced digital world.

Six months ago, he founded the Paper Documents House, a brick-and-mortar bookstore, in order to share his enormous collection of vintage books, magazines, newspapers with readers.

"When we read books, we touch and smell the paper, and read the content. The process is a multi-dimensional interaction that retains the magic of books, which has been arguably overshadowed by the senseless online alternatives," he said.

Karam Al-Zibaq, an Aleppo-based engineer and researcher in Syrian history, said the move "is a pioneering step at a time when books have been neglected."

"It is a step towards reconsidering physical books and reviving paper culture," he said.

Thanks to Al-Sayyed's hard work and perseverance, the bookstore has become increasingly popular and more people could read the old books that he saved from the civil war.

"Children have started coming here to borrow magazines, old newspapers, and kids' stories. University students borrow research materials from us for their studies. I consider this a significant achievement," said Al-Sayyed.

Al-Sayyed believes another achievement of the bookstore lies in "its magic to evoke nostalgia and wonder by helping people find the old books they used to read."

"The older the books, the more enchanting they become," he said, adding that he hopes more people will recognize the value of old books and that more people will follow his lead to keep used books and disseminate the knowledge they contain.

Alaa al-Sayyed, a lawyer by profession and a historical researcher by passion, reads an old newspaper named Palestine dating back to 1930 at his bookstore in Aleppo, Syria, on Sept. 26, 2023. In the heart of the bustling city of Aleppo in northern Syria, Al-Sayyed has spent more than 10 years on the rescue of the old books of Syria. (Photo by Monsef Memari/Xinhua)

Alaa al-Sayyed, a lawyer by profession and a historical researcher by passion, reads an old newspaper named Palestine dating back to 1930 at his bookstore in Aleppo, Syria, on Sept. 26, 2023. In the heart of the bustling city of Aleppo in northern Syria, Al-Sayyed has spent more than 10 years on the rescue of the old books of Syria. (Photo by Monsef Memari/Xinhua)

Alaa al-Sayyed, a lawyer by profession and a historical researcher by passion, reads an old document dating back to the Ottoman Empire times at his bookstore in Aleppo, Syria, on Sept. 26, 2023. In the heart of the bustling city of Aleppo in northern Syria, Al-Sayyed has spent more than 10 years on the rescue of the old books of Syria. (Photo by Monsef Memari/Xinhua)

Alaa al-Sayyed, a lawyer by profession and a historical researcher by passion, reads an old document dating back to the Ottoman Empire times at his bookstore in Aleppo, Syria, on Sept. 26, 2023. In the heart of the bustling city of Aleppo in northern Syria, Al-Sayyed has spent more than 10 years on the rescue of the old books of Syria. (Photo by Monsef Memari/Xinhua)