Mai al-Ibrashi: Community Involvement Strengthens Heritage Preservation

Architect Mai al-Ibrashi said people are more likely to protect monuments and heritage when they feel they benefit from them, highlighting the importance of community involvement in conservation.

Al-Ibrashi chairs the board of the Built Environment Collective, an association specialising in heritage preservation. She also founded the Athar Lina initiative, whose name means “The Monument Is Ours.”

Her remarks linked the care of historic sites to the relationship people have with them. When heritage offers a benefit that communities can recognise, she said, people become more committed to safeguarding it.

The approach places local people at the heart of preservation, emphasising their stake in heritage rather than treating conservation as separate from their lives.