Qatar has been elected to join Unesco's twelve-member Committee for Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

Established by the 1999 Second Protocol to the Hague Convention, the committee bears responsibility for receiving and considering requests for international assistance, determining the use of the fund for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and monitoring the implementation of the Second Protocol under the mission of “Heritage for Peace."

Qatar will be represented on the committee by Qatar Museums, the institution that preserves and advocates for the nation’s cultural heritage.

Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, said, “As a nation that prizes its legacy and history and views cultural exchange as an indispensable avenue toward international understanding, Qatar is honored to join UNESCO’s Committee for Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. We look forward to bringing the expertise we have developed at Qatar Museums, and our recognized depth of experience in cultural diplomacy, to the imperative task of safeguarding endangered sites and properties, knowing that the damage or destruction of any single country’s heritage is also a loss for all humankind.”

Qatar Museums CEO Ahmad Al Namla said, “We are proud that Qatar is known throughout the world as a nation that facilitates international dialogue and fosters diplomacy. In these efforts, culture plays a critical role. Hence, by joining the representatives of other nations on the Committee for Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, Qatar Museums will take positive measures to protect cultural heritage, while extending and enhancing the network of interstate relationships that can help prevent conflicts from erupting.”

Dr Fatema Al Sulaiti, Director of International Co-operation, Qatar Museums, was unanimously named as rapporteur of the committee, said, "We, the State of Qatar, are honored to join the committee and feel it is testimony to our persistent efforts to promote progress in World Heritage standards and awareness in our own country and internationally.

"We promise to uphold the integrity and values of The 2^nd protocol committee to The Hague convention 1954 for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict during our designation and we look forward to collaborating with many great nations, working together to ensure the correct implementation of Hague Convention and its 2^nd protocol and allocation of resources."

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Source: Qatar Museums