Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of the Center for Civilizational Dialogue at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participated in the Expert Workshop on the Protection of Sudanese Cultural Heritage, organized by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs in partnership with the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties and in cooperation with the Sudanese Embassy in Japan, with the aim of developing practical projects for the protection and recovery of Sudanese antiquities.

During the workshop’s scientific sessions, which started on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman shed light on the extent of the destruction inflicted on cultural galleries and heritage museums in Sudan. He also reviewed ICESCO’s efforts to protect Sudanese heritage through several initiatives being prepared by the ICESCO Heritage Center in the Islamic World, including organizing a specialized international conference on heritage protection and launching a capacity-building program. He further outlined his vision for building bilateral cooperation between the Organization and the Japanese government in this regard.

The ongoing workshop features the participation of Sudanese experts alongside representatives of relevant international organizations and includes organized visits to a number of Japanese heritage sites, enabling them to benefit from Japan’s advanced expertise in both restoration and reconstruction.

On the sidelines of the workshop, Mr. Takamasa Saito, Director General of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, received the participating delegations in the presence of Ambassador Elrayih Yduob, Sudan’s Ambassador to Japan. Mr. Saito affirmed the Institute’s readiness to enhance cooperation with Sudan in the protection of cultural heritage, while Ambassador Yduob emphasized the importance of benefiting from Japanese expertise in the rehabilitation of Sudanese archaeological sites.