Bahrain participates in 44th World Heritage Committee session

Manama, July 16 (BNA): The Kingdom, represented by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), participated in the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee, which kicked off virtually today in the Chinese city of Fuzhou, under the chairmanship of Vice Minister of Education and Chair of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, Tian Xuejun. UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, senior officials of the World Heritage Centre and international heritage organisations, representatives of the Committee’s member states, representatives of the cultural sector of all UNESCO member states and experts participated in the opening session. Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Advisor at the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), ARC-WH experts and BACA’s Director of Antiquities and Museums, Dr. Salman Al-Mahari, also took part in the meeting. Addressing the session, BACA President, Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, stressed the importance of Bahrain’s participation in this year’s World Heritage Committee meeting, commending the efforts exerted by China to convene the session despite the unprecedented circumstances created by the novel Coronavirus pandemic. She pointed out that since its ratification of the World Heritage Convention in 1991, Bahrain has consistently respected and implemented the provisions of the Convention, which reflects its interest in cultural and natural heritage, as well as in supporting its preservation and protection, citing the Kingdom's success in chairing the committee and hosting its meeting in 2018 in Manama. She indicated that this year's committee meeting is of particular importance in the midst of the challenges facing the cultural and natural heritage, expressing hope that this session will be able to come up with appropriate solutions with the permanent support of UNESCO and its Director-General. Shaikha Mai thanked all those in charge of the 44th session of the Committee, wishing the participants every success. The 44th session of the World Heritage Committee, which runs until July 30, will examine the state of the conservation of 255 on the World Heritage List, including 53 at risk, and take decisions regarding 45 heritage properties nominated for inscription. The Cultural Rock Arts in Ḥima Najran, Saudi Arabia, and As-Salt, known as the place of tolerance and urban hospitality, in Jordan, are among the nominated sites to be examined during the current session of the World Heritage Committee. As a member of the World Heritage Committee, Bahrain contributes to the examination of the files of the nominated list of heritage sites.