Kuwait seeking UNESCO’s world heritage recognition for its sites By Shahad Kamal
Officials working very hard to forward nominations
KUWAIT CITY, June 23, (KUNA): The National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters (NCCAL) is working rigorously to enroll several Kuwaiti locations in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World and Modern Heritage sites. Several sites — including Failaka and Boubyan islands, Kuwait Towers, archaeological sites in Subbiya, the water and petroleum management systems in the country — are amongst the list of proposed locations.
Head of the selection program and Kuwaiti representative at UNESCO Jaber Al-Qallaf told KUNA that he alongside his partner Zahra Alibaba were working very hard to forward the nominations to the international organization. At first, the focus was on a number of archaeological sites in the island of Failaka; however, UNESCO experts saw that the island, as a whole, was worthy, said Al-Qallaf.
The Kuwaiti official affirmed that such consideration from one of the highest authorities on world heritage and culture required from local authorities to work on plans to develop the island’s infrastructure in a way to preserve its historical treasures and integrity.
Protecting cultural treasures is complimentary to the agenda of the UN Sustainable Goals 2030, said Al-Qallaf who indicated that preserving heritage sites could contribute to the overall economic development of the world and achieve global prosperity.
He added that the 1979-inaugurated Kuwait Towers as well as the 1980s-built water management systems and towers in the areas of Bayan, Al-Saddiq, Al-Adailiya, Sabhan, and Al-Ahmadi were also deemed eligible for nomination as modern heritage sites. The history of the petroleum industry and oil installations throughout the country may also be included in the Kuwaiti nomination file, he said. Al-Qallaf said that it was important to take quick steps to ensure that all significant sites in Kuwait were ready for nomination, indicating that NCCAL was eager to contribute to the preservation and development of the locations for the sake of future generations and their welfare.
The 42nd Session of the World Heritage Committee will convene tomorrow in Bahrain until July fourth. The committee, founded in the early 1970s, is responsible for selecting location and including them in the World Heritage sites.