▁cit adel , ▁was ▁listed ▁as ▁a ▁UN ES CO ▁World ▁Heritage ▁Site ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁rest oration ▁works ▁have ▁been ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁various ▁Sy rian ▁and ▁foreign ▁miss ions ▁with ▁the ▁aim ▁of ▁opening ▁the ▁cit adel ▁to ▁the ▁public . ▁Until ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁rest or ations ▁were ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Director ate - General ▁of ▁Anti qu ities ▁and ▁Museum s ▁( D G AM ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁a ▁joint ▁French - S y rian ▁mission ▁was ▁initi ated ▁under ▁the ▁super vision ▁of ▁the ▁D G AM ▁and ▁the ▁Institut ▁français ▁du ▁Pro che - Ori ent ▁( IF PO ). ▁Between ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁this ▁mission ▁carried ▁out ▁extensive ▁arch ae ological ▁and ▁art - histor ical ▁research ▁in ▁the ▁cit adel , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁further ▁rest oration ▁works . ▁In ▁celebr ation ▁of ▁these ▁rest or ations , ▁a ▁ceremony ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁ 1 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁which ▁was ▁attended ▁by ▁Sy rian ▁President ▁Bash ar ▁al - Ass ad . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁an ▁agreement ▁was ▁signed ▁between ▁the ▁D G AM ▁and ▁the ▁Italian ▁General ▁D irection ▁for ▁Development ▁Co operation ▁for ▁a ▁joint ▁mission ▁to ▁renov ate ▁and ▁re organ ize ▁the ▁cit adel ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Museum ▁of ▁Dam asc us . ▁This