OIC, Arab League Unite to Protect Cultural Heritage Sites

JEDDA, APR 22 (DNA):The General Secretariat participated in the meeting of the International Committee for the Preservation of the Human Historical Heritage, 9th edition, on 20 April 2025 at the headquarters of the League of Arab States. The meeting touched on the threatened cultural heritage in the Member States, both tangible and intangible, and means of protecting and preserving it, especially the human heritage of Palestine, given the critical conditions there, which are of great concern to the OIC Member States.

In his statement, the representative of the General Secretariat, Dr. Rami Anchassi, said that the participation of the General Secretariat in this meeting is a continuation of its efforts in the field of heritage preservation within the framework of the implementation of the ministerial resolutions adopted by successive sessions of the Council of Foreign Ministers, which urged the Member States to establish the OIC Platform for the Protection and Preservation of Cultural Heritage. The most recent one was Resolution No. 50/10-C adopted during the 50th Session (August 2024, Cameron), in addition to the various conferences and events that show Member States’ commitment to making the best of their joint efforts in this regard.

In his intervention, he also touched on the catastrophic situation surrounding the cultural heritage of Palestine, especially in light of the current painful events. The proposal by the General Secretariat to organize a joint international conference to highlight issues related to the preservation and protection of cultural heritage in member countries was welcomed by the Committee members. The State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Culture, expressed its readiness to cooperate in this regard with the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other regional and international organizations.

It is worth mentioning that the participation of the General Secretariat in this important meeting comes in the context of the existing cooperation with the League of Arab States in various fields of common interest, including cultural affairs, and is framed in the MoU signed between the two sides.