In collaboration with the Qatar Museums Authority, the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage organized a workshop on Mechanisms and Concepts of the 1972 World Heritage Convention and the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
The workshop on “Workshop on Mechanisms and Concepts of the 1972 World Heritage Convention and the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict” was held in the Qatari capital, Doha, in the presence of His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Saad Al Rumaihi, the CEO of the Qatar Museums Authority, Dr. Salah Khalid, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Doha, and Sheikh Ibrahim bin Hamoud Al Khalifa, Acting Director of the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage (ARC-WH), along with several heritage specialists from Qatar. The workshop provided them with the opportunity to understand and address the different processes of the two conventions, contributing to enhancing the protection and management of heritage sites in Qatar. The workshop was organized by ARC-WH in collaboration with the Qatar Museums Authority and took place from 18 to 20 February 2024.
The workshop included interactive sessions and presentations highlighting the importance of cultural heritage and the need for its protection, especially in the face of current challenges such as armed conflicts and climate change. Experiences and best practices were exchanged to ensure the preservation of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of heritage sites and to raise awareness about the importance of international cooperation in this field.
The organization of this workshop reaffirms the crucial role played by training and capacity-building programs in achieving the sustainability of cultural heritage, amidst the ongoing need for innovative strategies to address the threats facing cultural sites through in-depth discussions and practical workshops, allowing Arab experts to deepen their understanding of international mechanisms for heritage protection and explore new ways to enhance regional and international cooperation in this context.
In this regard, Dr. Fatima Hassan Al-Sulaiti, Director of the International Cooperation and Government Affairs Department at Qatar Museums, stated: “We are pleased to collaborate with the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage in hosting these valuable workshops. This partnership represents our first cooperation, which is an important step in preserving our cultural heritage in our region. The workshops, held over three days, focused on the mechanisms and concepts of the 1972 World Heritage Convention and the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. This partnership embodies our ongoing efforts in the field of international cooperation and the protection of our global heritage, and we are keen to contribute to and exchange knowledge and experiences in this field. We look forward to further contributions that support our common goals.”
The 1972 World Heritage Convention and the 1954 Hague Convention are important tools for international cooperation aimed at protecting and preserving global cultural heritage. The primary objective of the World Heritage Convention is to protect the exceptional heritage of humanity, which holds outstanding universal value for current and future generations. On the other hand, the Hague Convention focuses on protecting cultural property during armed conflicts and provides a framework for the protection of cultural property in cases of armed conflict.
