The United Arab Emirates and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have signed an agreement in Sharjah to establish the International Centre for the Safeguarding of Arab Countries’ Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Centre, which will be headquartered in the Sharjah Institute for Assets, will help the Emirate of Sharjah and the UAE safeguard and promote intangible cultural heritage (SIH). The agreement was signed by Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth and Chair of the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, at the House of Wisdom in Sharjah, in the presence of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA) and Founder and CEO of the UAE-based Kalimat Group (KG), and Dr. Abdulaziz Al Musalla.
Al Kaabi emphasized the UAE’s leadership role in the preservation and protection of intangible cultural assets, claiming that the country’s efforts benefit all humanity. She went on to say that in order to maintain this heritage for future generations, global cooperation and partnerships are essential, as well as the establishment of institutions capable of achieving this goal. She noted that UNESCO’s confidence in the UAE and its ability to deliver the necessary capabilities, as well as the Emirate of Sharjah’s distinguished position in the field of culture and heritage, is reflected in the establishment of the International Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Arab Countries in the Emirate of Sharjah.