Qatar Museums (QM) celebrated the 10th anniversary of inscription of Al Zubarah Archeological Site as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.
This came during QM's participation in the 45th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, hosted by Saudi Arabia until September 25.
In his speech on the sidelines of the celebration, HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Bandar bin Mohammed Al Attiyah said it is a pleasure to meet at this important event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the inscription of Al Zubarah as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This unique event is organized in tandem with Saudi Arabia's hosting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting, which reflects Saudi Arabia's importance and value at the international level, His Excellency added.
He said that the gathering is taking place in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula in Saudi Arabia which shares culture and history with Qatar, pointing out that this region also has many values included in UNESCO's Constitution, in addition to the cultural dimensions it holds that are deeply rooted in history.
World heritage, whether natural or cultural, is considered important for Qatar in the national and international policies, Al Attiyah said, adding that world heritage helps build bridges of communication between peoples, which is also one of the pillars of achieving sustainable development that meets with Qatar National Vision 2030.
Al Attiyah stated that holding the 45th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Riyadh has a special meaning for Qataris, which further strengthens the fraternal relations between the two countries and their brotherly peoples due to the kinship ties. As I mentioned before, we share many cultural elements with our brothers in the Kingdom, he added.
His Excellency noted that Qatar and Saudi Arabia's Ministries of Culture recently signed an agreement to strengthen many partnerships in the cultural and creative sectors and related industries.
On her part, the Head of the UNESCO Department at the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science Sheikha Aisha bint Mubarak Al-Thani said that Al Zubarah is one of the most important archaeological sites in Qatar. It is considered a model for coastal cities in the Arabian Gulf in the late eighteenth century and the beginning of the nineteenth century.
Al Zubarah is also a center for fishing and pearl trade, as it is located in Al Shamal municipality which is listed in the UNESCO Global Network of Learning cities. It is also located within the Al Reem Biosphere Reserve which further adds value to it, she explained.
The Qatar National Commission works alongside stakeholders to link the national networks affiliated with UNESCO to contribute to achieving strategic plans for national reserves and sites, she added. (MORE)
Source: Qatar News Agency