Acts of repair: Heritage, conservation and healing in the divided landscape of rural Jerusalem
Swiss partners
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Universität Basel: Emilio Distretti (main applicant)
Partners in the MENA region
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Birzeit University, Palestine: Khaldun Bshara (main applicant)
- RIWAQ - Center for Architectural Conservation, Palestine
Presentation of the project
Acts of Repair is a knowledge exchange project between the University of Basel and Birzeit University (Occupied Palestinian Territory) that investigates the preservation of cultural heritage in Palestine as a form of resistance to Israeli settler colonialism. It explores how architecture and urban planning have fragmented Palestinian territory and how rehabilitation of historic village centers near Jerusalem can foster cultural, social, and spatial repair.
The project focuses on rural communities, Lifta, Kafr Aqab, Al-Jib, Qalandiya, and Beit Hanina, progressively isolated by the Separation Wall since 2003, facing material decay and socio-economic disintegration. The concept of repair underpins the project, addressing both physical deterioration and the violence of colonial policies, while rethinking heritage preservation as a space for healing and emancipation.
Between January 2023 and January 2025, four key events shaped the project:
- Lisbon Conference (Jan 2023): At the II International Congress on Colonial and Postcolonial Landscapes, a panel titled Architecture of Repair set the theoretical foundations and expanded the research agenda beyond Palestine.
- Public Symposium & Site Visit (July 2023): Hosted by RIWAQ at the restored Qalandiya Al Balad Mansion and Birzeit University, this event gathered artists, architects, academics, and residents to discuss material heritage and included visits to the villages.
- Closed Workshop (June 2024): Held at the University of Basel, it explored academic and community-based practices to mobilize heritage as a resource for reconstructing Palestinian histories.
- Final Symposium (Jan 2025): Organized with Birzeit University Museum, it addressed the (im)possibility of repair amid ongoing destruction, framing heritage as a site of hope and resistance.
Through these activities, the project advances a participatory approach to preservation, offering new narratives and practices that link architectural conservation with social justice and the Palestinian struggle for liberation.
More on the project