Rabat: 20/06/2019

At close of 8th Meeting of the Islamic World Heritage Committee: Approval to inscribe 18 new heritage sites on Islamic World Heritage Committee and Lauding ISESCO Project on inscription of 100 heritage sites in 2019

The Islamic World Heritage Committee concluded its 8^th Meeting yesterday at ISESCO headquarters in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, on 18-19 June 2019, which brought together the representatives of Member States at the Committee from Kuwait, Mauritania, Indonesia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, as well as the representative of the scientific commission (from Kingdom of Morocco) of the Committee. The meeting also adopted the new report that monitors the Israeli violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque and its vicinity (issued by the 10th Meeting of ISESCO Archaeology Experts Committee in charge of preparing technical reports on the Israeli aggressions against Al-Aqsa Mosque and its vicinity, held at ISESCO headquarters in Rabat on 3-4 April 2019); and approved the amendment to its rules of procedures and to the list of experts of tangible and intangible heritage experts as part of the assisting scientific commission.

The Committee approved the inscription of five (5) heritage sites on the final Islamic World Heritage List, and thirteen (13) heritage sites on the tentative heritage list. The Committee also lauded the decision of ISESCO General Directorate to inscribe one hundred (100) new heritage sites on the Islamic World Heritage List with a view to making them benefit from the Heritage Projects Support Fund established at ISESCO General Directorate; giving them priority in activities of restoration, conservation, protection; calling upon Member States to make financial contributions to that Fund; dedicating more activities to the protection of intangible cultural heritage in Member States; and inscribing as many masterpieces of human intangible heritage as possible on the Islamic World and World Intangible Heritage Lists.

Besides, the Meeting Called upon Member States to prepare inventory lists of the elements of tangible and intangible heritage; furnish the “Web Portal for Historical and Archeological Sites and Landmarks in the Islamic World” established by ISESCO to include the  historical and archeological sites and landmarks with human and civilizational value that abound in Member States; set up a bibliographic, digital and interactive database for the various elements of the architectural and structural heritage in the Islamic world; and support further awareness-raising activities geared to students and youth to publicize tangible and intangible cultural heritage and ways to use it toward achieving development.

Moreover, the Committee adopted ISESCO’s emblem for the inscribed sites on the Islamic World Heritage List and addressed Member States to fix such emblem on the inscribed sites; approved ISESCO’s proposal for the proclamation of 25 September as the “Heritage Day in the Islamic World” in conjunction with the anniversary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); and called upon ISESCO to prepare a guide on the detailed academic, technical, cartographic and legal criteria for the nomination files for inscription on the Islamic World Heritage List; prepare a training guide on ways and mechanisms to meet the required criteria in the inscription files; and dispatch experts to competent authorities in Member States to help them prepare their nomination files.

Furthermore, the Committee welcomed the desire of the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to inscribe 11 heritage sites on the Islamic World Heritage List, and lauded its will to technically and financially support ISESCO’s programmes relevant to the protection of heritage in the Islamic world. The Committee members also called upon ISESCO’s General Directorate to organize intensive training sessions for Member States’ staff on skills to prepare nomination files of heritage sites and aspects of intangible heritage for inscription on the Islamic World Heritage List.