Petra
Petra - Jordan

It is a challenging time for cultural heritage in parts of the Middle East and North Africa that have seen large-scale devastation, including the desecration and destruction of temples, shrines, cities and monuments.

Now more than ever, ICCROM’s work on cultural heritage protection and preservation in conflict areas is needed. Since it opened its doors in 2012, ICCROM’s Regional Office in Sharjah (ICCROM-ATHAR Centre), United Arab Emirates, has proven vital to fulfilling the organization’s mandate in the Arab Region by being closer to stakeholders and by leveraging regional collaboration mechanisms and community engagement in a region of many risks but also considerable opportunities. The branch office in the UAE has become an important force for cultural heritage advocacy, providing substantive logistical and operational support to ICCROM’s work in the region.

In partnership with Arab Member States, ICCROM-ATHAR aspires to protect the cultural heritage of the Arab region and to broaden access, appreciation and understanding of its history. The Centre focuses on architectural and archaeological tangible heritage, including heritage collections and historic places, sites and monuments. It primarily aims to enhance the capacity of official heritage institutions to manage heritage sites and museum collections on a sustainable basis. It does this through an array of regional educational and field activities, capacity building and training, consultation, information dissemination, symposia, workshops and seminars.

ICCROM-ATHAR’s mission is generously supported by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, as well as Member States and other partners.

Featured

Arab Forum 2023

Built heritage in focus at the 4th Arab Forum

After three days of intense discussions and decision-making, the 4th Arab Forum for Cultural Heritage (2023) concluded its activities at the ICCROM Regional Office in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This year's theme was “Culture of Built Environment (Omran) and Resilience of Heritage.”

4th Arab Forum for Cultural Heritage concludes with set of recommendations 

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, the 4th Arab Forum for Cultural Heritage (2023) concluded its activities in Sharjah, UAE. The three-day forum, organized by the Regional Office for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ICCROM-Sharjah), in cooperation with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, was held at ICCROM-Sharjah under the title “Culture of Built Environment (Omran) and Resilience of Heritage.”

4th Arab Forum for Cultural Heritage begins in Sharjah  

29 May 2023 - Rome (Italy): Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, the 4th Arab Forum for Cultural Heritage (2023) launched its activities, today, in Sharjah, UAE.  

The three-day forum, organized by the Regional Office for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ICCROM-Sharjah), in cooperation with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, will be held from 29 May to 1 June 2023 at ICCROM-Sharjah. 

4th Arab Forum for Cultural Heritage begins 29 May in Sharjah 

The Regional Office for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ICCROM-Sharjah), in cooperation with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, are pleased to invite you to the 4th Arab Forum for Cultural Heritage (2023), held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, from 29 to 31 May 2023 at ICCROM-Sharjah, Centre of International Cultural Heritage Organizations (Sharjah-United Arab Emirates).  
20230502_Closing_Ceremony_Mosul_ICCROM.JPG

Graduation Ceremony for Craftspeople and Exhibition on ICCROM's Mosul Heritage Recovery Programme

On 1 May 2023, ICCROM celebrated the graduation of the 79 craftspeople who successfully completed the second track on Building Crafts Revival and Upgrading of the Heritage Recovery Programme in Mosul project, based on a needs assessment to map the existing typology of crafts, the level of skills available in Mosul, the locations of craftspeople, their demographic, social and economic profiles, the...

Breaking Language Barriers: FAR translates two more resources in Arabic

Breaking Language Barriers: FAR translates two more resources in Arabic

A Story of Change 3: Success Stories from the Alliance for Cultural First Aid, Peace and Resilience Project and Community-Based Heritage Indicators for Peace are now available in Arabic

Call for apps WHL SA

Call for applications – World Heritage Site Managers Forum

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, ICCROM and IUCN are delighted to announce that the 5th edition of the World Heritage Site Managers Forum (WHSMF23) will be organized in conjunction to the extended 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, with the theme: “Managing World Heritage for the Next 50 Years.”

Celebrating one year of the “Experts Program”

Celebrating one year of the “Experts Program”

We are celebrating the success of the first phase of the "Experts Program," a year-long collaboration between ICCROM-Sharjah and the Saudi Heritage Preservation Society (SHPS) and the Ministry of Culture (MoC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

March 2023 Bahrain workshop

Advanced Workshop on Climate Action for World Heritage in Arab States

The ICCROM-IUCN World Heritage Leadership (WHL) programme and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) joined forces for a three-part capacity-building action focused on strengthening Arab regional capacities on disaster risk management and resilience building for World Heritage.

The proceedings of the second Arab Forum for cultural heritage now available

The proceedings of the second Arab Forum for cultural heritage now available

The Arab region is home to diverse cultural heritage with many themes to consider. This complexity called for a continuation of the ICCROM Arab forum for Cultural Heritage, the second edition of which centred on the theme of “authenticity, community and heritage conservation.” The forum’s proceedings (in Arabic) are now available for free digital download.