19 November 2019
Workshop on Hawar Islands, The Supreme Council for the Environment & The Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage Discuss UNESCO biodiversity and vital environment
The Arab Regional Center for World Heritage- ARC-WH hosted, on 19 November 2019, a workshop on “ Man and the Biosphere Program”, as part of the continuous efforts to nominate Hawar Islands to UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Program List. The workshop, held in cooperation between ARC –WH and the Supreme Council for Environment for two days, 19 & 20 November, was attended by H.E Dr. Mohammed Bin Daina, Executive Chief of the Supreme Council for Environment, Dr. Shadia Touqan, Director of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), experts in heritage and natural biodiversity and concerned government agencies.
Dr. Shadia Touqan first welcomed the participants and thanked them on behalf of H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al Khalifa, ARCWH's Chairperson, lauding the efforts of the Supreme Council for Environment and expressing thanks to by H.E Dr. Mohammed Bin Daina for his constant support to the ARC_ WH and its activities. Dr. Touqan added that the workshop would enhance the role and importance of Hawar Islands and the need to preserve them, explaining that many topics related to the Hawar Islands, the possibility of its nomination, ways of developing them and safeguard their natural rare characteristics would also be discussed during the workshop.
His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Bin Daina, for his part, stressed the importance of Hawar islands and the sustainable development that take into consideration the protection and preservation of their natural and biodiversity environmental aspects and characteristics. Dr Bin Dainah added that the Kingdom of Bahrain has made remarkable achievements with regard to environment protection and sustainability, stemming from the wise vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa , May God Protect Him, and the Personal Representative of His Majesty the King and H.E Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa President of the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE).
Dr. Thomas Schaaf, who is Programme Specialist for the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme at UNESCO's Division of Ecological Sciences, gave a presentation introducing the participants to the vital biosphere environments and their roles in the enhancement of sustainable development of the surrounding communities. Dr Schaff added that the Network of Biosphere Reserves currently counts 701 sites in 124 countries all over the world, including 21 trans-boundary sites, adding that the Involvement of UNESCO-MAB and the World Heritage Centre in Biodiversity Conservation through Sacred Natural Sites would certainly promote and boost the sustainable development in these areas. Dr. Thomas Schaaf praised Hawar Islands Biosphere Reserve creating, managing and evaluating them to be nominated to UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB). These reserves are regions which countries designate as large protected areas and which can be internationally recognized by UNESCO, Dr. Schaff said. Hawar Islands Biosphere Reserves are very special places: They ensure environmental conservation, where sustainable development is practiced within them; they are research areas to study the interactions of people and nature; in this way, innovative solutions can be worked out for a harmonious co-existence between people and their environment. Through the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, experience on tested management approaches can be shared with universities in Bahrain and globally, Dr Schaff added.
Through these multiple discussion sessions and working groups, the workshop aims at shedding lights on themes related to environment protection and preservation, providing support for working groups responsible for Hawar Islands nomination file to UNESCO-MAB List, as well as helping the Supreme Council for Environment to develop its strategy to protect the natural reserve in Hawar, taking into consideration enhancing the local community’s sustainable development.
Worth to mention that the Hawar Islands, an archipelago comprising of six major and over thirty smaller islands of various sizes with a total land area of over 50 sq. kms, are a renowned wildlife reserve of international significance. The islands are home to pristine beaches, indigenous fauna and flora, and migratory birds. The marine environments about the Islands embody a myriad of habitats and seascapes that are home to a remarkable array of marine fauna such as soft corals, fish, sponges, shells and endangered Green Turtle, the highly endangered Dugong (many nursing females), flora that includes extensive seagrass meadows, diverse and abundant algal communities and extensive halophytic vegetated coastal zones. The protected area provides habitat for a diverse range of marine and terrestrial species. For example, the endangered dugong(Dugong dugon) and the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) inhabit the nearshore waters, and over 150 species of birds use the islands as a flyway or asa wintering breeding / foraging area. The islands lie on the migration path of thousands of endangered birds, and are home to one of the largest breeding colonies of Socotra cormorants (Palacrocorax nigrogularis ) and to marine turtles and dugongs.
Worth to mention also that launched in 1971, UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an Intergovernmental Scientific Programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.
