The Islamic World Heritage Committee (IWHC),
during its 9th ordinary meeting, that the Islamic World Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) convened, decided to inscribe 97
new historical sites and cultural elements, including 58 historical sites and
cultural elements on the Final Islamic World Heritage List (IWHL) and 39 sites
and elements on the Tentative List. The Committee also deferred six sites and
stressed contacting the countries concerned to complete the relevant
nominations files. The total number of inscriptions on the IWHL has reached
about 320 historical sites and cultural elements.
The meeting held on Tuesday, June 29, 2021,
brought together the representatives of the following Member States: Kuwait,
Iraq, Mauritania, Pakistan, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Cameroon, Côté d’Ivoire, and
Nigeria.
In his address, Dr. Mohammed Zine El
Abidine, Head of Culture and Communication sector at ICESCO, highlighted the IWHC’s
key role in safeguarding the historic, civilizational, and natural monuments
and the cultural elements in the Islamic World. Dr. Zine El Abidine also
underscored the keenness of Dr. Salim M. Al Malik, ICESCO DG, to safeguard and
promote the Islamic world heritage, and enhance its presence on the regional
and international scene, as well as his diligent efforts in following up the
Sector’s action in this regard.
The Committee decided to adopt the General
Secretariat’s report on the implementation of the decisions and recommendations
of the third extraordinary meeting, held on December 10, 2020. It also decided
to form two commissions of experts accredited to the Islamic World Heritage
Committee and under the supervision of ICESCO Heritage Center to examine the
development of the forms and criteria of the inscription on ICESCO’s Lists of Tangible
and Intangible Heritage. The IWHC General Secretariat will select the members
of the two commissions from the Scientific Commission.
At the close of its proceedings, the Committee
issued a set of recommendations, where it called on the Member States to
provide the Islamic World Heritage Center with data on the repercussions of the
COVID-19 pandemic on heritage sites and museums, and their staff, support the
center and provide technical and scientific assistance for the completion of
the Encyclopedia of the Tangible Heritage of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The recommendations commended the efforts of
the Islamic World Heritage Center to preserve heritage through activities,
training courses, programs, and international agreements with specialized parties
interested in various fields of world heritage. The Committee also called on the
Member States to submit further nomination files for the inscription of
heritage sites and intangible heritage elements on the Islamic World Heritage
List and urged international organizations, and all countries to join the call
of ICESCO and the Islamic World Heritage Committee to avoid intentional and
unintentional damage to heritage sites and museums in situations of armed
conflict, given that heritage belongs to all humanity.