News

Open Call for Application to Participate in the 3rd Edition of the Short-Film Competition “My Heritage”

In commemoration of International Museum Day 2024, designated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to be celebrated annually on May 18th, the UNESCO Chair for World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Management in the Arab Region is proud to present its forthcoming event: a webinar titled “Museums in Palestine: Prospects for Learning.” The webinar aims to shed light on the profound impact of geopolitical turmoil on Palestinian society, heritage, and the preservation of its cultural identity and history. Scheduled for Monday, May 20th, at 5 PM Muscat time, the hour-long webinar will feature insights from three distinguished speakers representing prominent Palestinian museums. Among them are Amer Shomali, General Director of the Palestinian Museum; Baha Jubeh, Curator of the Palestinian Heritage Museum; and Jawdat Khoudary, esteemed businessman and proprietor of the Khoudary Museum. Through their discussions, the webinar seeks to explore the multifaceted role of museums in Palestine amidst adversity, emphasizing the crucial importance of safeguarding heritage in the face of contemporary challenges.

Dr. Heba Aziz, the UNESCO Chair holder for World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism in the Arab region, had the pleasure to be featured on Oman TV to share her insights into the significant role the Sultanate of Oman plays in global education and cultural exchange. With eight university chairs under its belt, Oman stands as a beacon of knowledge-sharing, connecting with over 700 institutions in more than 116 countries. During her interview, Dr. Aziz shed light on the upcoming international conference ‘Opportunities for Heritage’, emphasizing its importance in fostering dialogue and collaboration among international scholars. To learn more about Dr. Aziz’s interview of the future of education and cultural exchange in Oman, be sure to catch her full interview on Oman TV or click this link to watch the video.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation for Bait Al Zubair Foundation for their generosity and trust in us. We are very much looking forward to work with Bait Al Zubair foundation on a number of joint projects in the field of cultural heritage. One of the first collaborative activities is organising the Opportunities for Heritage conference taking place at GUtech 24 -27 February 2024 under the patronage of HE the Minister of Heritage and Tourism, and in partnership with the Oman National Commission for UNESCO, and the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage a category II UNESCO center located in Bahrain. Bait Al Zubair is a cultural foundation that originated as a private museum, welcoming the public through its intricately carved wooden doors in 1998. Financed by the Zubair family, it evolved in 2005 into the Bait Al Zubair Foundation, serving as the cultural and social extension of The Zubair Corporation, a family-owned business. This foundation oversees the cultural space and spearheads various projects encompassing culture, heritage, arts, community engagement, history, and publishing.

We are delighted to announce a special extension to the abstract submission and Early Bird registration deadline for our upcoming international conference, ‘Opportunities of Heritage’.  Due to numerous requests, we have extended the deadline to 15 December 2023, giving you all the opportunity to register and share your work with other conference participants, culture and heritage professionals and enthusiasts. This exclusive opportunity allows all interested participants to submit their abstracts and secure their place at our conference with the early bird pricing of $300. For students the early bird rate is $150. Registration includes the publication of papers/abstracts in our conference proceedings, complete access to all conference materials, three lunches, and a gala dinner.  With your participation, you will be able to attend all conference sessions, site visits, field trips, and much more. For any inquiries or further information, please feel free to contact us at O4H@gutech.edu.om.

We are pleased to announce that the registration for the Opportunities for Heritage: Fostering Innovation, Conservation and Sustainability conference, set to take place in Muscat, Oman, is officially open until 1 February 2024. The Conference is inviting academics, professionals, policymakers, students, and those who are interested in taking part in this event are welcome to register. There is an early bird special for registration, so we encourage you to register as soon as possible to utilize this opportunity.  Note that the date for early bird registration ends 1 November 2023. Please find the link below for registration and further information: https://o4h-2024.gutech.edu.om/registration/# We look forward to your participation as we strive together to cultivate a better future for heritage and sustainable tourism management.

The UNESCO Chair for World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Management in the Arab Region at the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech), and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) in Bahrain, are pleased to invite academics, professionals, and policymakers to participate in their upcoming international Conference Opportunities for Heritage: Fostering Innovation, Conservation and Sustainability, from 24 to 27 February 2024, Muscat Oman. The conference aims to examine the relationship between heritage conservation and management, tourism, and sustainable development, focusing on the pivotal role of technology and innovative solutions in bridging these domains. It also seeks to uncover the immense opportunities for innovative conservation and sustainable development of cultural and natural heritage. This is an exceptional opportunity to share your expertise and insights and contribute to shaping the future of heritage and sustainable tourism management. For all information, please check our website page. 4

The UNESCO Chair for World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Management in the Arab region was established in 2022 in the German University for Technology in Oman in collaboration with the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage. The chair has just launched its official website.   2.12.0.0

The UNESCO chair for World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Management at the German University of Technology in Oman held today its first activity  “the First Workshop on Digital Documentation for World Heritage in the Arab region”. The workshop comes as part of the Dive into Heritage initiative which is funded by the Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia and implemented in the region by the UNESCO chair for World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism management in the Arab Region and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage in Bahrain. The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of His Excellency Ibrahim bin Saied Al Kharusi undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage. Prof. Dr Heba Aziz Director of the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage and UNESCO chairholder at GUtech addressed the guests and participants highlighting the importance of innovative technologies for the management and conservation of heritage. Prof. Michael Braun Rector of the German University of Technology in Oman GUtech welcomed the participants and guests to GUtech and stressed the role of technology in enhancing the engagement of youth in heritage; and the new opportunities that it avails to the future of youth in Oman and the region. Sheikh Ibrahim bin Mohamed Al Khalifa deputy director of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage expressed the centres commitment to consolidate its connection to the Universities in the region and to the works of UNESCO The first workshop gathers site managers, emerging heritage professionals and students from Arab States, 37 participants from Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Sudan are to learn more about digital tools to document and model World Heritage sites. Participants will learn the basics in surveying and data acquisition as well as data processing methods for 3D models of cultural heritage sites. The workshop includes theoretical lectures (3D surveying, photogrammetry, laser scanning) taking place at the German University of Technology in Oman and practical work in the field at the UNESCO World Heritage property of Bahla Fort Oman At the end of the workshop, the participants will present the outcomes of their field recording work and data processing and should be able to understand the full digital workflow and its different stages. The workshop is expected to equip the participants with knowledge and skills to improve the documentation and conservation of World Heritage sites in the Arab region and their Outstanding Universal Value, and contribute to the preservation and promotion of these sites. The Dive into Heritage project is an important step towards making UNESCO World Heritage more accessible by using the latest technologies available and safeguarding it for our future generations. Mohamed Buzian representative of UNESCO mentioned in his opening remarks that the initiative aims at creating an innovative online platform to present digital data of World Heritage sites in the Arab region and its related intangible heritage. Generously funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the Programme on Culture and Digital Technologies, the Dive into Heritage project is currently in its Pilot Phase and runs until 31 December 2024.

The UNESCO Chair for World Heritage Management and Sustainable Tourism at the German University of Technology in Oman was inaugurated Under the patronage of H.E. Salim bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi; Minister of Heritage and tourism and with the participation of H.E. Shaikha Mai Bint Mohamed Al Khalifa; Chairperson of the Board of directors of the Arab the Regional Center for World Heritage. Prof. Dr. Michael Braun, Rector of the University, introduced the university and its commitment to research and innovation; and commented that the chair comes as a great accomplishment on the university’s 15th anniversary. Chairholder Professor Dr. Heba Aziz of the UNESCO chair at GUtech stated: “The establishment of the UNESCO chair at GUtech offers new research, teaching and learning opportunities at GUtech and is a further recognition of GUtech’s academic focus on the field of cultural heritage and sustainable tourism management” the Chairholder Professor Aziz added “Oman’s vision 2040 remains at the core of the chair’s activity. National priorities focusing on Citizenship, Identity, National Heritage and Culture, sustainable cities and governorates and employment and labour markets are the compass that directs the chairs activity. The chair will work closely with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism to make sure that it provides the necessary scientific research and labour force to achieve its vision.” World Heritage Sites draws international attention to heritage sites of outstanding universal value and is expected to increase the number of visitors to these sites. The chair aims to support the role of world heritage in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals by employing tourism in its comprehensive and sustainable manifestation to drive socio-economic development and to maximize benefits to the communities surrounding these sites. The Chair is established in partnership with the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage, a UNESCO Category II Centre based in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The center serves 19 Arab States in the promotion and management of cultural and natural sites by providing technical support and reinforcing the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention in the region. The chair complements the role that of the center and will introduce several academic programs in the field of tourism management in World Heritage sites, digitization of heritage, heritage narrative and interpretation and heritage economics. GUtech will also introduce Master’s degree in World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism management in collaboration with the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage. The chair team consists of Jokha Al Saqri, researcher in Heritage studies, Prof. Dr. Osman Barghouth co-chair holder and Prof. Dr. Heba Aziz, UNESCO chair holder This is the first chair specialized in this field and the first UNESCO chair concerned with the field of World Heritage for the Arab region as a whole.