(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Speakers at a conference hosted yesterday by Qatar Museums in observance of International Museums Day called for the protection of museum objects and heritage sites threatened by wars and conflicts in the region.
Speaking at the opening of the conference at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) auditorium, Nasser Al Hammadi (pictured), curator and heritage expert at Qatar Museums stressed the Arab International Council of Museums' (ICOM) statement during its latest meeting in Doha on the necessity of protecting the Arab landmarks and face the challenges Arab museums are confronting.
Al Hammadi also confirmed the "support of Arab museums as part of emergency measures taken by the executive council in the last two meetings including holding a training workshop for young Arab museums staff on how to protect museums during times of conflicts and wars."
The celebration's slogan and logo was changed to black and white "because we are mourning what is happening to Arab museums around the region."
Meanwhile, Al Hammadi noted Qatar's keenness to support ICOM activities in Paris by contributing ‚¬1m to the ICOM appreciating its role in supporting museums as well to its training programmes to museum officials and staff. "Qatar as the current president of Arab Museums Organisation also contributed ‚¬100,000 to the Arab ICOM to hold intensive programmes for museums staff in the Arab world and to promote and support Arab museums programmes," he added.
Museum objects are always threatened due to their value as commercial goods and as component of cultural identity by illicit trafficking, said Yusef Ismail, who was speaking on behalf of Anna Paolini, Director of UNESCO Office in Doha. "Culture has also been the victim of conflicts, but what we see today in Syria and Iraq is different. The attacks that we witnessed are against the shared history of humanity. Violent extremists target monuments and sites to strike populations at their core because they know culture is the cornerstone of the society," said Ismail.
Museum collections are not spared even when they represent the cultural identity of the society, nevertheless even during times of conflict in countries wherein museums are being attacked by looters, UNESCO has intervened to rescue and protect collections, he added. He said UNESCO has also carried out capacity building for museum specialists in the conservation of collections and documentation to contribute to the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural objects.
"While celebrating this international day I cannot but call all international and regional organizations including the UNESCO to preserve international heritage especially those at threat in times and places of conflict," said Abdullah Al Kubaisi, who was speaking on behalf of Dr Hamda Al Sulaiti, Secretary General of National Committee for Education.
On its 38th year, International Museum's Day's theme this year was "Museums for a Sustainable Society" and was observed in more than 35,000 museums in over 140 countries around the world.
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