Contribution to the ‘1st Annual Symposium of Islamic Art and Architecture’ organised by the University of Bahrain

The University of Bahrain, College of Engineering, Department of Architecture and Interior Design, organised the 1st Annual Symposium of Islamic Art and Architecture on 3 December 2020 to celebrate the International Day of Islamic Art and the contribution that Islamic Art plays in the role of cultural expression and diversity.

ARC-WH was invited as a keynote speaker, alongside Dr Haifa Al-Khalifa, Chairwomen of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design and Professor Mishary Al Naim, Secretary-General of Abdullatif Alfozan Award for Mosque Architecture to talk about historic Islamic cities within the framework of World Heritage, as well as the values and attributes. ARC-WH introduced the main concepts of World Heritage and the processes leading to the inscription of new sites. The Centre also briefly expanded upon the main topic of discussion regarding Islamic art and architecture by providing various examples of properties on the World Heritage List linked to historic Islamic influence. ARC-WH’s presentation included the distinction between historic Islamic sites and historic Islamic sites of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). The keynote intervention also highlighted the differences between values and attributes and how attributes are physical assets that convey values (which are mainly intangible).

Over the centuries, Islamic art and architecture have contributed to the development of art, architecture, and technology, which is considered, with regard to World Heritage, as a great achievement that is appreciated by the international community. This accomplishment enriches the value of World Heritage and promotes a better understanding of our shared history and universal cultural expressions.