01 May 2017
Khartoum Regional Meeting
Bahrain Culture Authority Participates in a workshop on “ Al Nakhla” ( the Palm Tree) as UNESCO Intangible Heritage Nomination File
Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities, represented by H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa, Director of Museums’ Directorate at BACA, took part in the 1st Regional Meeting on the preparatory workshop leading to the nomination file of “Al-Nakhla & the Related Customs and Traditions as Arab Common Heritage”, held in Khartoum, Sudan between 26-29 April 2017.
The project aims at safeguarding intangible cultural heritage ( the palm tree) through its registration file on UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The initiative aims to preserve an important part of Arab genuine traditions and inclusion of the this very specific symbol in the sustainable development process in the Arab world.
The participants at the meetings tried to achieve the main objectives of the meeting, that is a common a vision and perception of Arab culture with regard to “Al-Nakhla” ( the palm tree), and , encourage cooperation, registration of intangible heritage elements that have exceptional universal value in the Arab world, preservation and protection plans efforts and raising awareness about the importance of Arab cultural identity. Indeed, the passion Arabs passion had for this motif is due to the regularly mystical/symbolic meanings associated with it, as well as its functional advantages, and how their architecture uses it as a major structural and decorative feature.
This workshop comes as an implementation of the decisions issued after the two sessions 19 & 20 of The Arab ministers in charge of cultural affairs, held in Riyadh in 2015 and Tunisia in 2016. Both sessions’ decisions stressed the importance of preparing a nomination file for the palm tree ( Al-Nakhla) symbol and related customs and traditions to be inscribed on UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
