Sharjah Heritage Institute participates in the Istanbul International Heritage Exhibition and Conference
Istanbul, April 2, 2017 (WAM) – The Sharjah Institute for Heritage is participating in the activities of the Istanbul International Heritage Exhibition and Conference 2026, which specializes in the fields of restoration, antiquities, museums and library technologies, which began yesterday at the Yenikapi Eurasia Exhibition and Events Center in the Turkish city of Istanbul and continues until April 4, with wide participation from cultural institutions, experts and specialists in heritage preservation from various countries of the world.
His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam, President of the Sharjah Heritage Institute, stressed in his speech during the opening session that cultural heritage represents a civilizational bridge that enhances dialogue between peoples, pointing to the leadership of Sharjah’s experience in preserving tangible and intangible heritage and reviving historical cities.
He explained that Sharjah’s interest in heritage began in the 1980s with the vision, guidance and supervision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who adopted a comprehensive vision that realized early on that heritage is not limited to historical buildings and sites only, but also includes living memory, cultural practices and inherited traditions, which reflects an integrated cultural identity.
The opening program included an official tour during which the attendees were briefed on the participating pavilions, including the pavilion of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, which presented its most prominent initiatives and programs in the fields of research, training and documentation.
Dr. Al-Musallam also participated in the scientific program of the conference, where he presented a session on the first day during which he reviewed Sharjah’s experience in protecting heritage, touching on the most prominent restoration projects, reviving historical sites, and efforts at documentation and scientific publishing. He highlighted the projects to revive the old city of Sharjah, with its houses, forts, and markets, in addition to reviving heritage villages in Khor Fakkan, Al-Lulu’iyah, and Al-Zubara, developing the Dhaid Oasis, and reactivating traditional irrigation systems such as the falaj, pointing out that protecting heritage is linked to its documentation and scientific dissemination, indicating To Sharjah’s role in issuing specialized books and periodicals that enhance knowledge and transform experiences into scientific references.
His Excellency said that the selection of the Sharjah Heritage Institute by UNESCO as a second-class international center for capacity building in the field of preserving intangible heritage is an indication of the global status that Sharjah has achieved.
On the other hand, the Sharjah Institute for Heritage will organize tomorrow, Friday, as part of its current participation in the event, a session entitled “Restoration Projects in the Emirate of Sharjah,” presented by Engineer Sultan Al Hammadi, which highlights the role of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage in restoring heritage monuments such as forts, castles, walls, historical houses, markets, and old neighborhoods, by paying attention to tangible and intangible heritage in a balanced manner, experimenting with materials suitable for the environment, and attracting international best practices, in addition to integrating students and the local community into the restoration process.
The participation of the Sharjah Heritage Institute in the event comes within the framework of enhancing Sharjah’s presence globally and exchanging experiences with international institutions concerned with protecting human heritage.
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