The Soqotra Heritage Project “Integrating Cultural Heritage into Conservation and Development Planning on Soqotra” Final Workshop of Project Phase I
As part of a partnership programme funded by the British Council Cultural Protection Fund and implemented through a fruitful collaboration between the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, the Freie Universität Berlin and ARC-WH, the Soqotra Heritage Project (CPL-185-16 – Integrating Cultural Heritage into Conservation and Development Planning on Soqotra) was launched in 2018 and has reached the culmination of its first project phase marked by the fourth workshop held from 2 to 6 February 2020 at ARC-WH’s premises in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.
Launched in 2018, the overall aim of the project is to enhance the recognition, protection and conservation of the cultural heritage of the Soqotra Archipelago, Republic of Yemen, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008 for its outstanding natural values but had yet limited formal documentation of its cultural heritage.
The Soqotra Heritage Project was designed to document and conserve the cultural heritage of the Archipelago by creating a database that will be integrated within biodiversity conservation and development planning. The project sought to enhance local knowledge by organising practical and conceptual training for a team of Soqotries, enabling them to conduct informed technical fieldwork, such as the documentation of intangible and tangible local cultural heritage. For instance, the trained team documented over 400 archaeological sites thus far and has established the first cultural protected area in Soqotra.
The project comprises a range of educational and awareness-raising programmes explicitly aimed at school children, women and the governorate of Soqotra.
The fourth workshop currently taking place consists of practical exercises and modules to recapitulate what has been achieved thus far, as well as the planning of the next project phase. The culmination of their documentation and experiences will be showcased during a short film on 06 February 2020 at ARC-WH during the official Closing Ceremony of the First Phase of the Soqotra Heritage Project.
