Al-Kuwari expresses anguish at destruction of heritage sites

HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, Cultural Adviser to HH the Emir and candidate to the post of the director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), has expressed his concern and anguish at the destruction of heritage sites by “nefarious forces”.Addressing a meeting with artists and mediamen participating in the “Art for Tomorrow” Conference, organised by the New York Times in partnership with Qatar Museums from March 12-15, Dr al-Kuwari said: “Heritage reflects our human memory in terms of artistic works, creations, manifestations and contributions throughout history. Despite the fact that our human heritage as a whole is currently facing pillage, plunder and destruction, heritage in our Middle Eastern and Arab regions is experiencing the lion’s share of this terrible calamity,” he added. “The heritage of humanity is integral for all of us and any damage that occurs thereto affects as well the entire history of humanity. I feel pain when I see the world’s great heritage sites, amongst which I lived and which I constantly visited, now being destroyed,” he said explaining that this destruction is still ongoing in Homs, Aleppo, Palmyra, Mosul and Nimrod. Dr al-Kawari said: “To put it in simple terms, there are destructive events threatening our planet’s heritage. Symbolic sites that are a record of human history have been devastated by the forces of darkness, sites such as Timbuktu, Bamiyan and Palmyra. These nefarious, misguided forces strive to erase these treasures from our consciousness and from our global map, even though they represent a memory chosen by Unesco to be inscribed on its List of World Heritage Sites.” “I was infuriated like many of my fellow human beings by these criminal violations, which began occurring in 2011 in the valleys of Afghanistan where wonderful ruins and artworks disappeared from the record of humanity,” he said adding: “We share in this regard the opinion of those who saw this as a horrific war crime.” HE Dr al-Kuwari lauded the reaction of the international community that became fully aware of the dangers imposed by such calamities, “as historic sites do not just speak about the homeland they inhabit, but about the collective heritage of humanity as a whole”. “I specifically mentioned Timbuktu because this archaeological site was once again restored thanks to the efforts of the Unesco,” he said. “If I am fortunate enough to be provided the opportunity to become the Director-General of the Unesco, I will bring greater attention to the issue of heritage, namely in Timbuktu, which was one of the main commercial and spiritual capitals of the African Continent, while also making sure not to neglect the other historical and archaeological sites that remind us of our collective memory which is the tapestry I spoke about, the collective consciousness of humanity, Dr al-Kuwari stated.