Zanzalakht is a Syrian non-profit cultural foundation dedicated to preserving, revitalising and reimagining the country’s cultural life through heritage restoration, artistic production, education and cultural exchange.
The foundation takes its name from the Zanzalakht tree, a familiar yet overlooked presence in Damascus. Unlike the city’s celebrated jasmine and bitter orange, the Zanzalakht is rarely recognised for its beauty. Yet it survives drought, neglect and time, offering shade and renewal in difficult conditions. Its resilience has made it a quiet symbol of endurance and regeneration, qualities at the heart of the foundation’s mission.
This spirit defines Zanzalakht’s work. Heritage is understood as more than buildings: it lives in craftsmanship, artistic practice, music, storytelling and the spaces where communities gather.
Zanzalakht is guided by a multidisciplinary board bringing together expertise in culture, law, civil society, technology and international development. Founders, honorary members and volunteers provide strategic guidance, governance oversight and hands-on expertise, supporting the foundation’s commitment to heritage preservation, artistic practice and public engagement.
Its founding initiative is Beit Hayat: an abandoned Damascene house restored into a Living Cultural House for art, heritage and collective memory.