Within the framework of international efforts to preserve Yemen’s cultural and natural heritage, the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), in Manama, in cooperation with the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, organized a workshop to review Yemen’s Tentative List for World Heritage.
The workshop took place from 17 to 20 November 2024 as part of the EU-funded project “Youth Employment through Heritage and Culture in Yemen.” Around 20 representatives from various sectors participated, including World Heritage site managers, local authorities, academics, researchers, and civil society members interested in heritage. The workshop aimed to support Yemeni authorities and specialists in reviewing the Tentative List of sites nominated for World Heritage inscription by providing participants with essential knowledge and practical tools to understand the nomination process and effective site management.
This event concluded a training program that included three previous online workshops held in recent months. The aim was to enhance the outcomes of prior workshops and develop actionable plans to nominate new Yemeni sites for the World Heritage List.
The workshop focused on identifying Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and discussing the management of heritage sites inscribed on the World Heritage List or with the potential for future inscription. It highlighted nine cultural and natural heritage sites currently on Yemen’s preliminary list, such as the historic city of Saada, the Madrasa Amiriya of Rada , Jabal Bura, and coastal areas like Balhaf and the Hawf area. Emphasis was also placed on these sites’ potential for inscription and the development of protection and management plans.
Why is the focus on Yemen’s cultural and natural heritage? Today, such heritage is a key contributor to sustainable development, preserving local identity and culture, while providing opportunities for community engagement, especially for youth, in heritage protection efforts and unique employment avenues.
Yemen has five sites registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the ancient city of Shibam and its wall, the old city of Sana’a, the historic town of Zabid, the Socotra Archipelago, and the landmarks of the ancient Kingdom of Sheba in Marib.
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