Qatar Museums (QM) and Al Shamal Municipality have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance co-operation and the preservation of Al Zubarah Unesco World Heritage Site as well as promote cultural awareness among community members.
As part of the new agreement, Al Shamal Municipality will be responsible for cleaning and preserving Al Zubarah’s beach every month for the next five years, QM has said in a press statement.
Al Shamal Municipality will also take part in QM’s local activities to help promote cultural awareness among community members.
The MoU was signed by QM acting CEO Ahmad al-Namla and Al Shamal Municipality director Hamad Jumaa al-Mannai.
“We’re pleased to sign this new partnership with Al Shamal Municipality to help preserve one of the most important heritage sites in Qatar, and promote cultural awareness about its importance,” al-Namla said.
“Al Shamal Municipality is one of the key cultural hubs in Qatar. As such, its preservation is key to QM’s Department of Archaeology in line with its vision. We hope this partnership inspires other entities to form similar agreements to promote cultural understanding within their corporate social responsibility progammes,” he added.
The historic coastal town, Al Zubarah, is situated about 100km northwest of Doha. Founded in the mid-18th century, the town developed into a centre of the pearling and international trade and rose to become the country’s largest and most important settlement.
QM oversees its preservation and promotion by hosting various tourist visits and organising educational cultural activities all year-round for people in Qatar.
“We’re pleased to partner with Qatar Museums to preserve this historic site of Al Zubarah in line with our commitment to the country and its people. Not only are we going to help preserve the beauty and cleanliness of the site and its surrounding areas, but we will also set up several activities to help spread awareness about Qatar’s rich cultural history,” al-Mannai said. “We look forward to seeing the outcomes of this fruitful co-operation.”
The Department of Archaeology at QM places great importance on Al Shamal Municipality given its historic significance, the statement notes. Some of QM’s efforts to preserve the area include the restoration of the iconic at Al Ruwais Mosque, one of Qatar’s oldest mosques, and its surrounding areas.
Recently, QM also turned the abandoned Al Ruwais police station into a touristic project.
