(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) To spread awareness on protecting underwater heritage in Oman, the Ministry of Heritage and Culture began a workshop on Monday at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Al Khuwayr.
The three-day national workshop titled, 'Building Capacities and Raising Awareness on the Fight Against Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Objects; Prevention, Cooperation, Restitution', saw participation of several international experts, organisations, officials from several ministries in Oman. The delegates discussed various issues related to preserving underwater heritage and finding ways to restore it.
Underwater cultural heritage encompasses all traces of human existence that lie or were lying under water and have a cultural or historical character.
Recognising the urgent need to preserve and protect such heritage, Unesco drafted the Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2001.
Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the workshop, Brendan Cassar, culture programme specialist at the Unesco Doha Office, said, ''We want to encourage Oman to protect its underwater heritage. It is an area which needs awareness across the world.
''Oman has played an important role in trade for many centuries. So there is immense scope to discover underwater wrecks and heritage sites in the sultanate,'' said Cassar, adding, ''Each state should develop a programme to protect their underwater heritage not only for gaining knowledge, but also to record and document history in museums. This will also help in promoting tourism,'' Cassar added. He however, said that any such programmes to preserve underwater heritage has not been implemented in GCC countries.
The attraction of the historic significance, beauty and authenticity of underwater sites can have a considerable economic importance in the regions. ''It is something that has been discussed and we are trying to promote it among all GCC countries because I think it is a really exciting programme,'' he said.
Another issue concerning underwater heritage according to Cassar was illicit trafficking of underwater heritage sites and objects. This happens because there are no strict laws to protect them. ''It is very important to have specific laws to protect our underwater heritage,'' he added.
The workshop will continue till Thurs
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