Staff Report
Dubai: ICCROM’s Regional Conservation Centre (ICCROM-Sharjah) announced the nomination of fourteen projects for the cultural heritage conservation in the Arab region award.
The award will be presented on the 8th of February 2018 during the first day of the Arab Cultural Heritage Forum, under the patronage of Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, at the Sharjah Sheraton Hotel.
Awarded every two years, the award aims to honor and reward outstanding practices and achievements that contribute to the protection and revival of tangible cultural heritage in the Arab world.
According to Dr. Zaki, Aslan, Director of ICCROM’s Regional Conservation Centre (ICCROM-Sharjah), a substantial number of distinguished projects have been submitted to the award. Which aims at preserving and protecting cultural heritage in various forms from all regions of the Arab world. Nine projects from Arab countries were selected through intense researching and examination based on our evaluation standards.
Dr. Aslan added that the projects scheduled to be presented during the awards ceremony include five projects from Palestine which are the restoration and rehabilitation of Abdel Hamid Palace, restoration and reuse of Khan al-Wakala in Nablus, archiving and restoration of historical documents in Jerusalem, restoration of historic center in bait Sahour, and rehabilitation project of historic center of Adh-Dhahiriya in Hebron.
A virtual 3D reconstruction project for the Roman archaeological site of Tipaza, Algeria was also nominated along with the preservation of the mirhab of al Umeyna mosque in Oman. The research project on ruins of Dar Omar Basha in Damascus, Syria. The preservation of Qalaat Al Chqif in Lebanon. And the project of Siq stabilization and mitigation of immediate hazards in Petra, Jordan.
Among the projects nominated for the preservation of cultural heritage in the Arab region are two projects from Cairo, Egypt. Which are the revival of the objects affected by the explosion at the Museum of Islamic Art, and the restoration and development of the national theater.
The Land of Civilizations project in Mount Qarra, Saudi Arabia. The project management strategy for Shibam, Hadramout in Yemen.
Dr. Aslan said that the representatives of the selected projects would be invited from the first phase to be discussed by an independent jury of Arab experts for the selection of the winning project at the ceremony.
Dr. Aslan stressed the importance of the award in promoting the exchange of knowledge and experience in the region and encouraging public awareness of the importance of cultural heritage by highlighting it and inspiring specialists to pursue excellence and follow best examples.
Dr. Aslan stated that the award has two phases; the first phase includes the study of innovative projects in order to select a group of eight to fifteen pilot projects. In the second phase, applicants for selected projects from the first stage will be invited to discuss them before an independent jury of international experts to select the winning project. Nominated projects will be exhibited at the awards ceremony.
