At 29th General Assembly of ICCROM , UAE reiterates commitment to safeguarding cultural heritage

ROME, 22nd November, 2015 (WAM) -- The UAE is committed to safeguarding cultural legacy across the world without any distinction of religion, race or colour, Mohammad Khamis Bin Harib Al Muhairi, Director General of the UAE National Council of Tourism and Antiquities, told delegates from 134 member states who gathered in Rome at the 29th General Assembly of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) to discuss the organisation’s future direction. Al Muhairi called for supporting the ICCROM in discharging its responsibilities of safeguarding, preserving and restoring cultural property as it faces an uphill task as a result of wars and conflicts in some countries which have led to severe destruction of and damage to valuable cultural assets, many of them inscribed in the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. ''The UAE's participation in the 29th General Assembly underscores its leadership's commitment to contribute towards the efforts aimed at preserving human, cultural heritage,'' he said, noting the generous contribution extended by H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to the organisation through hosting the ICCROM-ATHAR (Architectural and Archaeological Tangible Heritage in the Arab Region) in Sharjah. The ICCROM celebrated and commended those Member States which are particularly active, acknowledging their efforts to take care of heritage worldwide. The United Arab Emirates has partnered with the ICCROM to create a centre for Arab heritage. At this 29th ICCROM General Assembly, the recently-signed ICCROM-ATHAR Headquarters Agreement was acknowledged in the presence of the Emirati delegation, headed by Al Muhairi. The ICCROM drew attention to the importance of voluntary contributions which enable the body to continue carrying out its worldwide mandate. The generous financial support from the UAE will go towards the ICCROM-ATHAR Centre, located in Sharjah, UAE, that will work with the Member States in that region to look for solutions to mitigate the risks faced by heritage in the Arab world. Delegate to this year’s General Assembly also reflected on the lessons learned from past natural disasters, and on the increasing impact of climate change on cultural heritage. These discussions mirrored the upcoming Paris 2015 conference ("21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change," scheduled for 30 Nov – 11 Dec, 2015). – Emirates News Agency, WAM -http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395288296900.html