Doha – The regional conference titled "Memory in Heritage: Enhancing Cooperation on Documentary Heritage in the Arab Region" concluded its sessions in Doha last night, calling for the utilization of the experiences of national committees in Jordan and several Arab countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia, and the subcommittees of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
اضافة اعلان
The conference, organized by the Qatar National Archives in collaboration with UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), highlighted the successful experiences of regional committees in these countries.
These committees demonstrated the importance of regional cooperation in ensuring a strong and sustainable representation in the international registry.
Inspiring examples were presented on how local challenges could be overcome through cooperation among member states.
The conference was attended by a group of international and regional experts, decision-makers, and representatives of national libraries, museums, and archives from Jordan and various Arab countries.
The conference approved the establishment of a special regional committee for the Arab region under the "Memory of the World" program, aimed at unifying national and regional efforts in protecting documentary heritage.
This committee will focus on setting practical foundations for developing regional cooperation mechanisms in preserving documentary heritage and ensuring better representation of the Arab region in the international registry.
Participants emphasized that the committee would work according to the best practices followed by other regional committees, adapting them to the cultural and administrative specifics of Arab countries.
Lynn Anne Moreau from UNESCO's Bangkok Office presented the procedural steps taken by the international organization to form effective regional committees.
She noted that the regional committee would formalize cooperation among Arab states and help facilitate regional coordination in preparing proposals and projects related to the "Memory of the World" program.
She stressed the pivotal role of these committees in supporting documentary heritage and the importance of building a regional cooperation network to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
On his part, Ming Kok Lim, a member of UNESCO’s office in Rabat, explained that establishing a regional committee for the Arab region would provide a specialized platform for coordination among member states, facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise, and enhance cooperation with other international committees.
He emphasized that such a committee would be a strategic step to boost the Arab region's presence in global heritage preservation forums.
Ming Kok Lim also addressed the reasons behind the weak representation of the Arab region in the international registry, including a lack of awareness of the required standards and insufficient cooperation among entities concerned with preserving documentary heritage in Arab countries.
He presented a brief overview of the essential steps in preparing proposals that align with the requirements of the "Memory of the World" program, focusing on the importance of proper documentation, regional cooperation, and highlighting the global significance of the presented content.
He also discussed the idea of creating a regional Arab registry that reflects the distinctive documentary heritage of the region, to be established as part of the creation of a regional committee for the "Memory of the World" program, contributing to improving coordination among Arab countries and enhancing cooperation to highlight the region’s cultural richness on the global stage.
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