Sharjah 24: The regional workshop, organised by Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH), was launched for five days, in cooperation with the UNESCO office in Beirut, to build the capabilities of new facilitators within “Introduction to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage 2003”, with the participation of more than 50 Arab and African countries.

His Excellency Dr. Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, Chairman of SIH, said that the regional workshop comes in cooperation with the UNESCO office in Beirut to emphasise the importance and necessity of continuing work in this important field in the world of heritage, especially with regard to training new facilitators and strengthening the network of facilitators in Africa and the Arab regions, which contributes to their vital and effective advancement in the fields of intangible cultural heritage.

His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz Al Musallam added that SIH, which is considered a regional centre accredited by UNESCO in this regard, is pleased to host such creative elite who will constitute an added value to the overall work at the Arab and African levels, whereas this workshop comes within SIH plan and agenda, being a regional centre for capacity building.

His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz Al Musallam added that SIH was keen to develop a vital and practical programme within a clear vision based on the unlimited support of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah, and SIH great expertise and experience.

Aisha Al Hossan Al Shamsi, Director of the Arabian Heritage Centre of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, said that the workshop comes with many and diverse topics, whereas SIH is a second capacity-building hub, in addition, the workshop celebrates the twenty-year anniversary of the signed agreement to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage, in 2003.  

The Director of the Arabian Heritage Centre added that the workshop includes practical and theoretical training on how to inventory elements of intangible cultural heritage. It is generally a regional workshop and an introduction to introducing the Convention for safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage, and introducing trainees to the Convention. 

Over the course of five days, the workshop will discuss several topics, all of which serve the heritage service. It begins with the definition of the 2003 convention, how to implement it at the national level, and how it relates to other conventions.  Moreover, the programme includes a number of topics that include introducing the global capacity building programme, participation and interest in intangible cultural heritage, in addition to sessions, discussions, and interactive questions and answers.

The topics also include a review of the objectives, function, scope and expected results, in addition to ethics and ethical principles in preserving intangible cultural heritage, and engaging relevant communities.  The topics also include field preparations, as well as a summary of the elements of intangible cultural heritage and field sites, exchange of experiences, fieldwork, lessons learned, intangible cultural heritage and sustainable development goals, addressing the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and protection plans, developing policies related to the preservation of intangible cultural heritage and other important topics.

It is worth noting that the Centre works under the auspices of the UNESCO to implement short- and long-term programmes and activities to build capacity in the field of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, based on the programme developed by the UNESCO for the effective implementation of the 2003 Convention, and the adaptation of capacity-building materials and data, developed by the "UNESCO", to suit the regional context and ensure its translation into Arabic.