Arab youth underlines responsibility of all in protecting world heritage
Young Arab participants in a forum which wound up on Friday underlined the responsibility of all components of society, especially the youth, in protecting the world cultural and historical heritage.
In the "youth declaration," to be referred to the UNESCO world heritage committee currently meeting in Marrakesh, students and teachers from 11 Arab states and UNESCO experts, say school syllabi have to include courses on the protection of natural and historical sites. They also underline the need to rehabilitate arab handicraft and develop the sector that is part of Arab identity.
Participants argued that most advanced information technologies should be used to promote the protection of a priceless legacy.
In Marrakesh, the UNESCO's world heritage committee and bureau is holding from Nov. 26 through Dec. 4 its 23rd session
The session will look into issues related to the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage and how to disseminate these principles among young generations. It will also be an opportunity to study applications to include some sites in the world heritage list.
Morocco ratified in 1975 the convention on the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage which was adopted by the UNESCO general conference in Paris in 1972. The covenant aims to identify and protect historical and natural sites that deserve international protection.
Morocco, a member of the UNESCO world heritage committee and bureau, has six historical sites on the world heritage list which includes 582 sites.
An Austrian foundation, "ARCH," held last week in Marrakesh a meeting on the preservation of the Medina (old city). Experts stressed that all the city inhabitants should shoulder the responsibility to restore and protect the medina, in a way that takes into account the interests of inhabitants, mainly craftsmen and small tradesmen.
The ARCH foundation (art restoration for cultural heritage) has commissioned a group of architects to identify sites needing restoration. Seven historical sites in the city were picked.