Qatar
Session ends as 26 sites added to heritage list
Session ends as 26 sites added to heritage list
By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter
The 38th session of World Heritage Committee (WHC), being held in Doha from June 15, came to a close yesterday. A total of 26 sites from 31 countries were inscribed on the World Heritage List during the session. |
The 39th session of WHC will be held in Germany. It will be chaired by the minister of state at the German Federal Foreign Office Maria Boehmer.
The current session was concluded with a special event at the Qatar National Convention Centre. Several dignitaries were present at the closing ceremony.
HE Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad al- Thani, chairperson of the 38the session of WHC, highlighted at the closing ceremony that Qatar embraces itself as a country that connects the East and the West. It aspires to facilitate communication and human exchange.
“When we think of heritage, we must park our differences and think of what the sites represent. Every site has stories of its own and we must protect all of them no matter what our differences are. Therefore I commend the works of Unesco for ensuring that cultural protection supersedes all other pressures.”
“The outcomes of the discussions are of significant accomplishment.Culture has been once again able to transcend the social political changes for the benefit of mankind. Culture more than anything is a humanitarian effort to save properties people and identities around the world.”
Unesco World Heritage Centre Director Kishore Rao said that heritage is not only for preservation but also a vision. “ Heritage is at stake and we must be active and shape our common destiny,” he added.
A documentary film highlighting the events of the 38th session of WHC was screened at the ceremony.The event was concluded with a cultural show.