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Agreement signed between Italy, UNESCO and Palestine

The Conservation and management of Tell EsSultan ancient Jericho Agreement signed between Italy UNESCO and Palestine Ramallah 24 January 2022 The Consulate General of Italy in Jerusalem UNESCO Ramallah Office the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities MoTA and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation AICS Jerusalem celebrated the signing of the agreement between Italy and UNESCO to enable the implementation of the project The Conservation and management of Tell EsSultan Ancient Jericho This agreement is part of a larger multistakeholder partnership through which a collaboration is established between the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities UNESCO the Sapienza University of Rome and the Italian Agency of Development Cooperation Jerusalem Office The project aims to ensure the effective conservation and management of the cultural resources within the area and to promote sustainable tourism development that benefits the site and the local communities Through the generous funding of Italy amounting at Euros 24 million the project partners shall leverage their respective expertise to implement the designated project interventions under the overall supervision of a steering committee chaired by MoTA

January 24, 2022

UNESCO and Bethlehem Municipality sign a partnership agreement

Bethlehem 17 January 2022 Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Palestine Ms Noha Bawazir signed an agreement with the Mayor of Bethlehem HE Mr Anton Salman The agreement aims to enhance the Cultural Creative Industries in Bethlehem The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Mr Giovanni Scepi the Head of the Culture Unit at UNESCO Ramallah as well as municipal council members This project is among UNESCOs contributions to celebrating the city of Bethlehem as the Capital of Arab Culture 2020 The signing goes in motion with the framework of the 2021 International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development UNESCO and the Municipality of Bethlehem are implementing this activity in the framework of the ReShaping Cultural Policies for the Promotion of Fundamental Freedoms and the Diversity of Cultural Expressions project that is being generously funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency Sida

January 17, 2022

Gaza’s Rising Stars Unleash Their Artistic Potential Through Theater

UNESCO empowering youth in Gaza through the International Fund for Cultural Diversity IFCD The room is wide and filled with sunlight from the ample glass windows Several people are standing together a few feet apart declaiming in the elegant vibrations of Standard Arabic Hisses and whistles long and short vowels intermingle and produce powerful lyrical messages The melodical sounds fuse with the lazy rays of sunlight just as the theater actors and actresses melt with the characters they play Arabic speakers themselves refer to their language as the most eloquent of tongues And quite accurately eloquence is one of the key skills in theater acting But it was not just eloquence that got Reham Fathi Ibrahim Hamad to the theater actress she is today Hard work perseverance and tenacity were also necessary to land her dream job Determined to carve herself a space in Gazas theater scene Reham knows all too well the fruits of her relentless dedication

January 12, 2022

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, UNESCO and Sweden partnered to establish and launch the Palestinian Virtual Museum

Ramallah Palestine 20122021 In framework of the support to the Palestinian Cultural Heritage through the project Local Development through the Rehabilitation and Revitalization of Historic Environment in Palestine funded by Sweden through Sida UNESCO and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities MoTA joined forces to support museums as repositories for heritage and identity In light of the role museums play in enriching Palestinian human capital MoTA and UNESCO partnered to establish the first Virtual Museum of Archaeological Objects representing the history and culture of Palestine The Virtual Museum was established as a response to the challenges imposed by the outbreak of the COVID19 in Palestine and the need for multiple sources of knowledge with reliable scientific materials especially in the time of recurring home confinement to help students and their families in distance learning processes The Virtual Museum is a platform developed by Palestinian experts with simple tools to facilitate accessibility and foster an understanding of history through archaeology using attractive methods It comprises a collection of more than 40 digitized magnificent artifacts that were used as tools in peoples daily lives and found during archaeological missions in various locations in Palestine The Museum also portrays five major historical periods in Palestine through scientific chronological descriptions The Virtual Museum platform through its website and mobile phone application provides an opportunity for students and knowledgeseekers to have an overview of the Palestinian history and related cultural heritage objects from the Paleolithic period until the end of the British Mandate period ended in 1948 This Museum enables the visitor to see a digital copy of the artifacts that corresponds to reality where heshe can see their shapes colors materials by moving and rotating them in different directions thanks to the 3D scanning read and listen to a brief explanation about them and how they were used in their original environment UNESCO and MoTA considers this museum and its content as a solid basis and a nucleus of a larger initiative that aims to document and display thousands of Palestinian artifacts for educational and research purposes Such a Museum will present to the Palestinian youth and general public treasures found in the land of Palestine and will show how these treasures contributed to the development of human civilization The project was implemented in partnership between UNESCO National Office for Palestine and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities with financial support from Sweden The partners would like to express their sincere appreciation for and thanks to all those who contributed to this important and scientific achievement You are invited to visit the Virtual Museum on httpsvirtualmuseumtourismps You may watch the User Guide Video on YouTube via this link httpsyoutubeG3cG3hlHEUM

December 30, 2021

From the Palestinian Bearers of Heritage to the UNESCO’s Representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage 2003 Convention was adopted in 2003 entered into force in 2006 and at present December 2021 180 States ratified it The main goals of this Convention are to find new ways to speak about safeguard to valorize to facilitate transmission and to deal with traditional culture to celebrate cultural diversity and to involve more actors like communities and groups In 2011 Palestine was admitted to the UNESCO as a Member State since that time Palestine has become a party to several UNESCO treaties and cultural conventions The Palestinian community and institutions have realized the role played by intangible cultural heritage in the social cultural and economic aspects of life but also the dangers threatening its viability and continuity identity and belonging which made Palestinians aware of the need to fill the gap that exists between the threats they are facing and the possibilities offered by UNESCO treaties and international cooperation instruments in this respect On 15 December 2021 and during the 16th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held virtually from UNESCO Headquarters in Paris the art of embroidery in Palestine practices skills knowledge and rituals has been added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Prior to 1948 embroidery was an important focus in the lives of rural and Bedouins women Its main canvas was the thoub which was worn both daily and on special occasions However Palestinian embroidery is more than just a practical decoration of work of clothes or pieces It is a connection between stiches and public sphere The people of Palestine and in diaspora highly welcomed the inclusion of the art of embroidery as it is considered as a symbol of Palestinian history evolution and identity alike During the same meeting on Tuesday 14 December a shared nomination was put forward by a coalition of 16 Arabicspeaking countries and upon a positive recommendation from the Evaluation Body the Arabic Calligraphy knowledge Skills and practices has been also inscribed on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage for Humanity Arabic calligraphy is the artistic practice of handwriting Arabic script in a fluid manner to convey harmony grace and beauty States parties should develop together networks of communities experts centres of expertise and research institutes to develop joint approaches particularly concerning the elements of intangible cultural heritage they have in common as well as interdisciplinary approaches ODs p86 For Palestine this inscription is considered as a major step towards collaboration and cooperation with other Arab States and respective culture for the calligraphy to be a driver for peace and cultural diplomacy Intangible cultural heritage ICH made up of all manifestations of culture represents the variety of living heritage of humanity as well as the most important vehicle of cultural diversity The ICH is represented by the bearers of heritage within the communities and is considered crucial for the connection of cultural identity Its viability is a response to the historical and evolution of the communities and groups concerned Therefore it is important to safeguard and preserve ICH by constant practicing as a living heritage and using modern technological tools In this context it is mandatory to preserve the endangered traditions such as traditional knowhow indigenous knowledge popular rituals carried out to bring prosperity and socioeconomic sustainable development for Palestine

December 17, 2021

UNESCO Ramallah Office in Promoting Palestinian Tourism Digitally and Virtually

UNESCO Ramallah Office is pleased to announce the contribution to the December 2021 issue of This Week in Palestine magazine under the theme Promoting Palestinian Tourism Digitally and Virtually by publishing an article on the first Palestinian Virual Museum in this issue The Virtual Museum In 2019 the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities MoTA in cooperation with the Ministry of Education MoE and the Palestinian National Commission for Education Culture and Science inaugurated the educational Traveling Museum It was established with the aim to enhance students awareness of Palestinian history and cultural heritage through the presentation of archaeological artifacts that date from the Paleolithic period until the midtwentieth century Since the museum was not able to travel during the height of the pandemic UNESCO Ramallah Office partnered with MoTA and with generous support from Sweden worked to present the museums objects through a virtual platform that allowed students and the public to visit and interact You may visit the website of the museum through this link to learn more

December 8, 2021

The Opening of the Old Hebron Museum

Hebron 14 October 2021 UNESCO Hebron Rehabilitation Committee HRC the Consulate General of Sweden in Jerusalem and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities with the participation of local and international partners celebrated the inauguration of the Old Hebron Museum after completing the rehabilitation of the abandoned historic building of Palestine Hotel From the iconic Palestine Hotel to a museum with exhibitions envisaged to present stories from Hebron Old Hebron Museum is poised to welcome local and international visitors The premises overlooks the traditional and historic urban fabric of the Old Town of Hebron which is inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage list since 2017 In his opening remarks Mr Göran Paulsson the Head of the Swedish Development Cooperation highlighted the long history of Swedens support to the cultural heritage in Palestine and its role in job creation and the preservation of collective memory and identity He stated that since its inception in 2012 the partnership between Sweden and UNESCO enabled the rehabilitation of 75 cultural heritage sites in various Palestinian localities with a total amount of over USD 1829 million The Old Hebron Museum now becomes on top of this list Ms Noha Bawazir UNESCO representative to Palestine described the museum building as a masterpiece that bears witness to the unique mission and principles of UNESCO where architectural heritage conservation is connected to the safeguarding of the narratives of Hebron inhabitants and the stories of the past and present She added to achieve this UNESCO provided all the support needed to enable the museums operationalization Ms Bawazir thanked all those who contributed to preserving this distinctive landmark and expressed her gratitude to Sweden for the continued support and generous donation over the past years The rehabilitation of the museum started in 2018 with generous funding from Sweden as a showcase for Hebrons rich history and contemporary life UNESCO provided technical support to HRC in the comprehensive documentation of the building as well as in providing the museums design and museography furniture and equipment in addition to supporting the preparation of its content In her closing remarks HE Ms Rula Maayeh highlighted that Hebron had been named as World Craft City in 2016 which indicates the rich experience the city can offer to its visitors and the inauguration of the Old Hebron Museum after years of neglect and abandonment will definetly contribute to spreading a bright image of Hebrons rich culture and history HE also stressed the need to unite all efforts to bring life back inside the Old Town of Hebron and promote tourism there stressing the Ministrys readiness for support and cooperation with all partners and stakeholders Participated in the inauguration the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities HE Ms Rula Maaya Head of Development Cooperation at the Consulate General of Sweden in Jerusalem Göran Paulsson Governor of Hebron Mr Jibrin Al Bakri Mayor of Hebron Mr Tayseer Abu Snieneh Secretary General of the Palestinian National Commission for Education Culture and Science Dawas Dawas and UNESCO Representative and Head of Ramallah Office Ms Noha Bawazir The ceremony was moderated by the General Director of Hebron Rehabilitation Committee Mr Imad Hamdan

October 15, 2021

UNESCO supports the culture sector in the Gaza Strip

In May 2021 a 11day conflict in the Gaza Strip led to the complete or partial destruction of important cultural infrastructure including educational and cultural facilities and institutions as well as material losses in equipment archives art collections and rare books among others With the aim to assess comprehensively the impact on the cultural sector in Gaza the UNESCO Ramallah Office through support from the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund is conducting a series of activities including a PostDisaster Needs Assessment PDNA capacitybuilding workshops as well as urgent interventions for cultural centers practitioners and artists in Gaza The key urgent interventions include the implementation of workshops in the field of music theatre and fine arts specifically designed for artists who were affected by the conflict Targeted psychosocial support will also be provided to traumatized youth and children by giving them the opportunity to engage in interactive activities and to express themselves through artistic means Tania Mourtaja the Executive Director of Ayyam Al Masrah Theatre Day Productions in Gaza and with whom UNESCO is partnering to implement some of these interventions said Our drama scripts usually mirror the trainees own narratives and reflections With the support of UNESCO and through our experienced trainers we will be using theatre as a tool for healing where the participants will have the chance to express themselves UNESCO is also launching this month urgent stabilization and consolidation works at the historic building of ElWehidi House which will serve as a new premises for the Basma Society for Culture and Arts whose former home was lost during the conflict These activities are part of the activity PostDisaster Needs Assessment and urgent interventions in the Gaza Strip supported by the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund through the generous support of the following donors the Qatar Fund for Development the Kingdom of Norway the French Republic the Government of Canada the Principality of Monaco ANA Holdings INC the Republic of Estonia the Kingdom of the Netherlands the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg the Principality of Andorra the Slovak Republic and the Republic of Serbia

October 4, 2021

Inaugurating Kufr Rai Cultural Center

Kufr Rai 14 July 2021 in the presence of representatives of Kufr Rai Municipality and the local community of the village UNESCO Ramallah Office and Riwaq Centre for Architectural Conservation celebrated the end of the rehabilitation works in Housh AlLakloum in the historic center of Kufr Rai village to the southwest of Jenin Governorate In his opening remarks Mr Ghazi Melhem the Mayor of Kufr Rai stressed that the rehabilitation works in Housh AlLakloum and designating it to be a cultural center is only the beginning emphasizing that the Municipality is planning to intervene widely in the village and preserve its historic urban fabric Mr Melhem thanked the Swedish Government and UNESCO for their unwavering support in protecting the Palestinian cultural heritage and safeguarding it for the future generations Ms Shatha Safi Director of Riwaq praised the longstanding partnership with UNESCO through which Riwaq was able to intervene in the rural areas of Palestine to empower the communities through creating job opportunities and enhance the sense of belonging to their roots and heritage On the other hand Mr Giovanni Scepi Head of the Culture Unit at UNESCO Ramallah Office congratulated the Municipality and the residents of Kufr Rai for this achievement and stressed the collective efforts put together at the national level to protect and promote Palestinian cultural heritage by transforming the once deserted empty buildings into vibrant facilities as evidenced in this unique building in the historic center of Kufr Rai It is worth mentioning that the building was rehabilitated within the framework of the project Local Development through the Rehabilitation and Revitalization of Historic Environment in Palestine generously funded by Sweden and implemented by UNESCO

Developing a Conservation and Management Plan for Sebastia

During the first half of 2021 UNESCO continued overseeing the different activities implemented in the framework of the Local Development through the Rehabilitation and Revitalization of Historic Environment in Palestine project generously funded by Sweden Through this project 75 historic building and urban spaces have been rehabilitated and utilized for the welfare of the local communities they exist in Through which UNESCO and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in cooperation with the Municipality of Sebastia developed a Conservation and Management Plan for Sebastia a site on the Tentative List of Palestine for Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites with potential OUV The village of Sebastia is one of the important Palestinian archaeological sites and a oncevibrant Roman city with a wealth of monumental remains Read more about the overall project and its scope

UNESCO Develops a Detailed Urban Plan aiming at Protecting the Agricultural Terraces in Battir

In close coordination with partners UNESCO invests efforts towards the enhancement and revitalization of the three inscribed World Heritage Sites in Palestine Birthplace of Jesus Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route Bethlehem 2012 Palestine Land of Olives and Vines Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem Battir 2014 and HebronAlKhalil Old Town 2017 Particularly UNESCO designs and implements projects and activities that respond to the numerous challenges emerging in these sites contributing to their proper conservation and management while sustaining their Outstanding Universal Values OUV In May 2021 UNESCO initiated a comprehensive project entitled Detailed Urban Plan and building by laws in Battir and Hussan to develop a conservation and urban plan for parts of the core and buffer zones of the site in Battir This initiative is implemented through a structured partnership with the concerned national stakeholders mandated to oversee cultural heritage sites in Palestine namely the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities MoTA The activity comes as a response to recognizing the need of protecting the agricultural terraces in Battir which is also highlighted in the sites conservation and management plan aiming to ensure that any developments in the site will not have an adverse impact on its OUV

International Jazz Day

The UNESCO Ramallah Office in partnership with the Willy Brandt Center in Jerusalem cooperated in marking the 2021 edition of the International Jazz Day contributing to this global initiative through musical events and musical video premieres promoting Palestinian musicians as well international artists The 10th International Jazz Day was celebrated despite a lot of adversities due to the day coinciding with a number of events the Holy month of Ramadan Good Friday the unfortunate events in Jerusalem and the COVID19 restrictions still going on in the West Bank The celebrations opened on April 29th with an overture on the panoramic roof terrace of the Austrian Hospice in Jerusalems Old City to watch the celebration video click here

Sprouting seeds; Embracing Land in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic

Everything has advantages and disadvantages says Abu Shadi a farmer from Battir Village But do you know what the advantage of this Coronavirus Crisis is It brought people back to their roots to their lands he added