Culture Ministry Celebrates 20th Anniversary of 2003 Convention for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage at UNESCO Headquarters -2-

In his speech at the ceremony, HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to UNESCO Dr. Nasser bin Hamad Al Hanzab expressed pride in celebrating Qatar's rich culture and heritage at the UNESCO headquarters, which reflects Qatar's commitment to promoting the goals and values of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which Qatar ratified in 2008. He added that since joining UNESCO, Qatar has worked diligently, guided by its deep belief in noble goals, to enhance international peace and security through its areas of expertise, achieve sustainable development goals, promote concepts of coexistence among different cultures, and empower local communities through culture, adding that in today's era of rapid communication, there are modern challenges that profoundly impact the present and future. His Excellency emphasized that Qatar, through the implementation of economic, social, and cultural development plans at the national level under the wise leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, aims to achieve the goals of its Qatar National Vision 2030, adding that preserving its cultural heritage is a fundamental pillar for enhancing its culture as one of the essential elements of development at the national and international levels, and reinforcing its values that embody its Qatari, Arab, and Islamic identity while remaining open to others. He pointed out that preserving culture and traditional crafts is one of the most important challenges facing many societies in a world characterized by globalization and increased communication among peoples, adding that to meet the challenges related to the intangible cultural heritage of the 2003 Convention, which is concerned with its protection and the enhancement of human values, Qatar has strengthened the role of human heritage by including it as one of the targets in the Third National Development Strategy for the years (2024 - 2030), aiming to enable Qatari individuals to unleash their creative potential and empow er them with high skills through direct participation in achieving Sustainable Development Goals and realizing the Qatar National Vision 2030. His Excellency pointed out that at the international level, Qatar, through the Ministry of Culture, works to enhance dialogue between different cultures, through UNESCO and other international multilateral institutions, to strengthen communication bridges among the world's peoples and promote understanding and peace through various cultural domains. HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to UNESCO Dr. Nasser bin Hamad Al Hanzab continued that to enhance intangible heritage, Qatar has begun completing several national and joint files for registration on the list of intangible heritage, to introduce the world to its ancient heritage and the role of the Qatari society in revitalizing it for future generations. He pointed out that Qatar has coordinated for the first time since joining the Convention for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage to lead the ''Al Bisht'' file as a joint Arab file, in addition to several national files, which will be discussed during the next meeting of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee in December. It is worth mentioning that an exhibition highlighting Qatari cultural heritage was held on this occasion. The exhibition featured the "Majlis," in addition to a showcase of crafts and traditional industries that shed light on these crafts and industries and recognized their practitioners. The exhibition also included falconry, which was registered on the list in 2015, as well as folk arts that presented maritime arts displays, including "Al Fajri Art," to showcase the richness and diversity of Qatari culture. Additionally, a section of Qatari traditional culinary arts was presented, showcasing distinctive dishes from Qatari cuisine. The exhibition also included a pavilion displaying photographs highlighting Qatar's achievements in safeguarding intangible heritage. The State of Qatar, which has presented the initiative to re gister "Al Bisht" on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at UNESCO, is leading Arab efforts to follow up on the registration procedures in collaboration with ALECSO. The state has previously worked on registering several joint Arab files, such as "The Palm" and "Arabic Calligraphy," in addition to the metal engraving file, which will soon be registered on the Representative List of World Heritage by the initiative and leadership of Iraq, with the participation of 14 Arab countries. Source: Qatar News Agency