The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) organized a side event on the sidelines of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris from July 6 to 16, 2025, to showcase its efforts to support the removal of Member States’ properties from the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger and promote international cooperation in this field.

Titled “ICESCO Strategy for Supporting the Removal of Properties from the List of World Heritage in Danger within Member States,” the event was organized in partnership with several distinguished partners and was moderated by Somia Djacta, Head of ICESCO’s Office to UNESCO.

Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Culture Sector at ICESCO, opened the event with a statement of appreciation to the host organizations and underscored ICESCO’s recent accomplishments in assisting Member States in the removal of their sites from the List of World Heritage in Danger. Dr. Zinelabidine reaffirmed the Organization’s unwavering commitment to proactive engagement and international cooperation in the preservation of cultural heritage.

The opening also featured a recorded address by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, in which he officially announced the launch of the “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award,” a joint initiative between ICESCO and Azerbaijan to celebrate exemplary practices in heritage preservation in the Islamic world.

Several notable figures delivered remarks at the event, including Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Dr. Nasser bin Hamad Al Hanzab, Representative of the State of Qatar to the UNESCO; Ms. Teresa Patrício, President of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS); Dr. Albino Jopela, Executive Director of the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF); Eng. Mohammed Al-Aidarous, Chairman of the Islamic World Heritage Committee; and Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki, international expert in the field.

During the event, Dr. Webber Ndoro, Head of Islamic World Heritage Center at ICESCO, delivered a presentation on the current status of world heritage sites in ICESCO Member States, sharing key statistics and study findings from the Center that highlighted the challenges and opportunities in heritage support across the Islamic world. A subsequent expert panel discussion was moderated by Mr. Muhammad Al-Absi, Expert at ICESCO Heritage Center, and featured representatives from the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS, ICCROM, and the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region (WHITRAP).
Participants exchanged views on ICESCO’s strategy and issued practical recommendations to enhance support for heritage sites in danger.

A key highlight of the event was the celebration of the successful removal of two Arab sites, Abu Mena in Egypt and Ghadamès in Libya, from the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Egyptian and Libyan delegations to the World Heritage Committee each presented their country’s experience, outlining the efforts made and lessons learned in restoring and managing these significant cultural sites.

ICESCO’s delegation also held a series of meetings on the sidelines of the World Heritage Committee session with various national delegations, international organizations, and experts, as part of its efforts to expand the Organization’s network and strengthen international cooperation in heritage preservation.