5 December. The Regional Course on ‘Conservation and Management of Heritage Sites in the Arab Region’ concluded at the Beit Al Naboodah, Sharjah. In the closing dinner session, His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad bin Sultan Al-Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, awarded certificates to the course participants.

This course takes place every two years and is a foundation course for other specialist courses of the ATHAR Programme. It aims to establish and develop professional qualifications among conservation professionals in the Arab Region in the field of site conservation. The thirty-one participants in this course came from fourteen Arab countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

The course included theoretical and practical aspects. The latter focused on a case study of a ruined historic house where activities ranging from documentation and condition assessment to policy-oriented design proposals took place. Material analysis was also carried out at the central laboratories of the University of Sharjah utilizing ICCROM’s laboratory manuals. Additional study visits to Al Buhais, Mleiha, and Al Ain complemented work carried out in the classroom.

The course took place under the patronage of H.H. Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah, and within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed last February between the Emirate of Sharjah and ICCROM to implement activities of ATHAR Programme (Conservation of Cultural Heritage in the Arab Region).

The Government of Sharjah was the course partner, as represented by the Sharjah Department of Culture and Information, Sharjah Museums Department, American University of Sharjah, and the University of Sharjah. Support was provided by the Directorate General of Development Co-operation, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs(DGCS), and ALECSO (the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization).

Member States represented: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Sudan, Syria, Yemen

updated on: 27 January, 2010