16 December. ICCROM’s ATHAR programme assisted in the implementation of a one-week workshop in Bethlehem, from 11-14 December 2011. The workshop was organized by the Palestinian Authorities (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities) with the financial support of the Government of Malta, UNESCO Office in Ramallah, and UNDP (MDG Project), and with the scientific and technical support of the ATHAR programme.

The workshop aimed at the development of a National Charter which would comprise a set of national guidelines and principles for the conservation and management of the Palestinian cultural heritage. This initiative was born out of current realities requiring a national policy towards protecting the rich cultural heritage of the country.

A series of actions have been suggested for the preparation and implementation of this Charter. This workshop formed the first milestone in this process, which is expected to lead to a first draft of the Charter. Preliminary actions were based on an assessment of the current state of protection of cultural heritage in Palestine; a final review of a draft legislation for cultural heritage for eventual approval by the National Council in 2012; and addressing challenges for the preservation of Palestinian heritage, in particular relation to human resource and institutional development, and financial and integrated approaches to cultural heritage management.

A selection of key international documents and standards (e.g. UNESCO conventions, ICOMOS charters and ICOM documents) guiding conservation practice were examined at the workshop. These documents formed the basis for discussing the objectives and scope of the Charter, identifying specific heritage values and objectives, defining the services working in the field of cultural heritage, and defining a time frame and action plan for policy implementation.

A total of 26 professionals with expertise in architectural conservation and experience in heritage management and legislation, participated in the workshop. The participants work in public and non-governmental bodies involved in cultural heritage protection and research activities, such as universities, municipalities, rehabilitation projects in Ramallah, Bethlehem Hebron, Nablus, and Gaza.

The next phase in finalizing and implementing the Charter will be to initiate a dialogue with all identified stakeholders to ensure that there is public consensus, in order to maximize the effectiveness of the Charter in the long term. The final phase will include a one week workshop in 2012 that will lead to the Charter's approval and implementation.

updated on: 11 January, 2012