1. ALEPPO
MAY 1-7, 2011
6th
International Conference on Arab Health
Issues

2. Syria
 185,180 sq
km
 21,762,978
People
 36.4%
(0-14y)
 59.9%
(15-64y)

3. Aleppo
 Halab in Arabic
 Second largest Syrian city
 Capital of the Aleppo
Governorate
 18,482 km² - 5,315,000 people
 Greater Syria's largest city
 Ottoman Empire's third, after
Constantinople and Cairo
 Twin towns—Sister cities
 Lyon, France
 Gaziantep, Turkey
 Kilis, Turkey
 Hatay Province, Turkey
 Brest, Belarus

4. Silk Road
 Aleppo flourished under
many civilizations and
developed a highly
organized social, religious
and economical structure
early on in history
 The city's strategic trading
position attracted settlers
of all races and beliefs
 Silk Road that met in
Aleppo from as far as
China and Mesopotamia to
the east, Europe to the
west, and the fertile
crescent and Egypt to the
south.

5. Demographics
 70% Muslims
 mainly Arabs, but also Kurds and other ethnicities,
including Adyghe and Albanians, Bosnians, Bulgarians,
Chechens, Circassians, and Kabardin.
 One of the largest Christian communities in the
Middle East (second to Beirut)
 Between 15% and 20% are Syriac Orthodox (Armenians)
 Catholics (Syriacs)
 Maronite and Latin Catholics, Nestorian and Syriac
Orthodox
 Nowadays there are around 43 operating church buildings
in the city, belong to different eastern Christian
denominations
 Very Small Jewish population

6. Ports of Entry
 Aleppo International
Airport
 Direct from DTW (RJL)
 Direct from other
airports (Egypt Air,
Turkish Airlines,
Austrian Airlines)
 Other (Bahrain Air,
Brittish Midland, Saudi
Airlines)

7. Aleppo International Airport
 1918- first KLM
flight to the Far East
via Aleppo airport
 1930- “Amy
Johnson” achieved
the first worldwide
flight piloted by a
woman from
“London” to
“Millburn” via
Aleppo airport

8. Aleppo International Airport

9. Ports of Entry: Damascus
 Damascus
International Airport
 Direct from DTW (RJL,
AirFrance, Alitalia)
 Direct from other
airports (Many)

10. Travel and Tour Coordinator
 K Tours, NY
 Mr. Samir Khalil,
President
 Misr Travel, North
American regional
director
 Coordinated NAAMA
Conferences:
 Egypt 98, 03, 08
 Dubai 08
 Spain & Morocco 09
 Beirut 10

11. 5-star
Accommodations
 Sheraton Aleppo
Hotel (conference
headquarters)
 Built on own city
block in the
downtown Bab Al
Faraj district
 15 minutes from
Airport
 Wireless High Speed
Internet Access
 Health club, Turkish

12. Cuisine
 International Academy of
Gastronomy in France awarded
Aleppo its culinary prize in 2007
 Vast selection of different types
of dishes, such as kabab
 Aleppines have invented more
than 17 types of kibbeh dishes,
which is considered a form of art
for them.
 The most favourite drink is Arak,
which is usually consumed along
with meze and Aleppine grills and
kibbehs.
 The za'atar of Aleppo is a type of
Syrian oregano which is very
favourite among Arabs,
Armenians and Turks.
 Aleppo is the origin of many
different types of sweets and
pastries. The Aleppine sweets
are characterized to contain high
rates of ghee butter and sugar

13. ARRIVAL
DAY ONE
May 1st

14. Welcome
 Arrival
 Evening
Welcome
Reception and
Registration
 At Sheraton
Hotel

15. ALEPPO CITY TOUR
DAY TWO
May 2nd

16. The Citadel

22. Suqs
 Largest covered
market, or suq, in the
world in Aleppo with
approximately 12 acres
 The Me dina , as it is
locally known, is an
active trade centre for
imported luxury goods,
such as raw silk from
Iran, spices and dyes
from India

26. Khans
 Aside from trading, the
souq accommodated the
traders and their goods
in khans (caravanserais)
scattered in the souq
 The most famous khans
include:
 Khan Al-Waz ir
 Khan Al-Harir (Silk Khan)
 Khan Al-Sho une h
 Khan Al-Gum ro k
 Khan Khaye r Be k
 Khan o f Ve ne tians

28. Great Mosque of Aleppo
• Founded in 715 by
Umayyad caliph Walid I,
commenced in 1158 by
Nur al-Din
• The building contains a
tomb associated with
Zachary, father of John
the Baptist
• Damaged during the
Mongol invasion of
1260, and was rebuilt.
• It has four façades with
different styles.

29. Nighttime
 Dinner at the
Aleppo Citadel
Throne Hall
 Hosted by the
Governor of Aleppo
 Cultural and
Folkloric Show

30. ST SIMEON
& OTHER
BYZANTINE
MONUMENTS
DAY THREE
May 3rd

31. Church of St. Simeon
 60 km
 5th
century
 four basilicas built
out from an
octagonal court
towards the four
points of the
compass to form a
large cross.
 centre of court - base
of the style or column

33. Church of Qalb Lozeh
 5th
century
 first example of the
Syrian model of the
broad-aisled basilica
church
 probably used
afterwards as a
stopping station for
pilgrims to St.
Simeon's church

34. Nighttime
 Dinner at Bawabet
Al Shahba
 Hosted by the
President of Aleppo
University

35. DEADCITIES
DAY FOUR
May 4th

36. Dead Cities
 a group of 700 abandoned settlements
 date back to before the fifth century B.C
 contain many remains of Christian Byzantine
architecture
 cover an area 20–40 km (12–25 mi) wide and
some 140 km (87 mi) long
 Important dead cities include Serjilla, Ein Dara
and al Bara.

37. Serjilla
 Built in 473,
best
preserved
 arose in a
natural
basin
 prospered
from
cultivating of
grapes and
olives

38. Serjilla: Public Bath

39. Ebla
 shows signs of continuous occupation from
before 3000 BC
 shows a record of monotheism as a true
religion in, more than 1000 years older than
the Torah, and possibly pre-dating by seven
centuries, the reign of Egyptian Pharaoh
Akhenaton.
 most famous for the Ebla tablets, an archive of
about 20,000 cuneiform tablets found there

41. Nighttime
 At leasure

42. EXPLORE ALEPPO ON
YOUR OWN ….
AFTER LUNCH
DAY FIVE
May 5th

43. Nighttime
 Conference Gala Dinner

44. POST CONFERENCE
TOUR:
PALMYRA
DAY SIX
May 6

45. Palmyra
 ancient Aramaic city
 first mentioned in the archives of Mari in the
second millennium B.C.
 trading city in the extensive trade network that
linked Mesopotamia and northern Syria
 a vital caravan city for travelers crossing the
Syrian desert, known as the Bride o f the
De se rt

46. Temple of Ba’al

47. The Roman Street

50. POST CONFERENCE
TOUR:
DAMASCUS
DAY SEVEN
May 7th

51. Damascus
 occupied since
the second half of
the seventh
millennium BC
 considered the
oldest
continuously
inhabited city in
the world

52. Umayyad Mosque

55.  One of the largest and
oldest mosques in the
world
 Considered the fourth
holiest place in Islam
 the first mosque to be
visited by a pope in
2001
 Significant to Muslims
(Sunni/Sheiah) as well
as Christians

57. John the Baptist Shrine

58. Tomb of Saladin

59. House of St. Ananias
said to be the house where Ananias baptized Saul (Paul)

61. The Straight Street (Via Recta)

62. The Grand Finale: Mount
Qassion

63. Post Conference
Accommodations
 Dedeman Hotel,
Palmyra
 Hotel Cham Palace,
Damascus

64. Enjoy your visit …