Shurooq coordinates efforts to protect Sharjah’s cultural heritage

Sharjah / WAM

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) Sharjah Antiquities Authority, Sharjah Institute for Heritage and Sharjah Museums Department have met to discuss ways to organise and protect cultural heritage in Sharjah.
The meeting was held at Shurooq’s main office in Al Qasba, in the presence of Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, Manal Ataya, Director-General of the Museums Department and Yousif Al Mutawa, Manager of Heart of Sharjah.
The meeting tackled tangible and intangible heritage, as well as the museum collections in the emirate. Representatives of the four local entities discussed ways to revive the various elements of the emirate’s cultural heritage and to promote them locally, regionally and internationally in a manner that reflects their value and contribution to humanity’s development.
Speaking on the occasion, Al Sarkal said, “Since its inception, Shurooq has strived to preserve and protect the cultural heritage of the emirate of Sharjah. The authority has set numerous plans for the development and protection of its array of archaeological destinations and treasures that will allow interested people to visit them in a manner that increases their value. To achieve this goal, it has provided these sites with high-end facilities and services to attract visitors from the UAE and beyond in order to promote them on the world tourism map,” he added.
The Director-General of Sharjah Museums Department said, “We are committed to preserving Sharjah’s diverse and rich cultural heritage across many disciplines and this will help us to develop that even more. It supports our goal of highlighting Sharjah’s role in the development of the region and strengthens our vision to cement the emirate’s reputation as a leading cultural centre not just across the Middle East but around the world.”
During the meeting the attendees addressed mechanisms of coordination between the competent authorities and the policies and strategies that need to be adopted to update cultural heritage legislation. They also examined restoration methodologies and issues around maintenance, conservation and transport to ensure the safeguarding of cultural heritage and its preservation for future generations. They discussed the need for administrative enforcement regulations to determine offences and penalties, as well as the need to coordinate with the competent authorities to ensure the provision of legal protection in compliance with UAE laws aimed at protecting
cultural legacy.
Also attending were Eissa Yousef, Director of the Department of Excavation and Archeological Sites at SAA, Asma Al Suwaidi, Acting Director of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, and a number of section heads and department directors from the four concerned authorities.