Regional conference warns against destruction of human, cultural heritage

AMMAN — Participants at the Archeology and Cultural Heritage in the Arab Region Conference on Wednesday stressed on the importance of raising youth’s awareness about heritage due to its close relation to Arab identity.   

Organised by the Arab League Education, Culture and Science Organisation (ALECSO) under the title "The latest technologies used in projects to introduce cultural heritage and to raise awareness on its protection in the Arab World", the conference gathered representatives from 14 countries, who will share their experiences in technology usage in archeology and heritage protection. 

Inaugurating the two-day event, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Lina Annab highlighted the importance of using technologies like geophysical imaging and nanotechnology applications to "discover, restore and document cultural heritage". 

She noted that Jordan was one of the first countries to use technology to discover archeological sites and recently started working on an archiving system to make the Department of Antiquities' (DoA) data on archeological sites available to researchers and anyone interested in archeology. 

“But the road is long to make the best use of technology in archeology,” she acknowledged.

The conference corresponds with the International Day for Monuments and Sites (World Heritage Day) which is held annually on April 18th with the aim of promoting awareness on the diversity of cultural heritage, its vulnerability and the efforts required for its protection and conservation, according to the minster. 

DoA Director and President of the 23rd Edition of the Congress Munther Gamhawi stressed on the need to protect human heritage by establishing its importance in the minds of all society members through education. 

Despite all efforts to protect the human heritage, it is being destroyed intentionally and unintentionally all over the world, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) representative to Jordan Costanza Farina, who noted that heritage has become a victim to conflict across the Middle East and around the world. 

 “We have borne witness to culture becoming a victim of conflict as UNESCO world heritage sites are attacked and destroyed intentionally or as collateral damage," she said, noting that "these sites represent the historical fabric of our societies and exemplify the concept that heritage carries outstanding universal value”.

ALESCO Director General Saud Hilal Harbi echoed similar remarks, condemning the systematic destruction of the Palestinian heritage. “The Palestinian cause is considered central to the ALESCO and protecting the Palestinian identity is among one of our main goals,” Harbi stressed.