Oman partakes in 48th Unesco World Heritage Committee Session in Korea

Busan: The Sultanate of Oman participated in the 48th session of the Unesco World Heritage Committee, held in Busan, Republic of Korea, with the participation of States Parties to the 1972 convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

Amna bint Salim al Balushi, Permanent Delegate of the Sultanate of Oman to Unesco, headed the Omani delegation.

Oman attended the session as an observer, taking part in discussions on nominations for new World Heritage sites, the state of conservation of listed properties, and matters related to the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The delegation also participated in a number of side events and bilateral meetings.

The committee approved the inscription of 25 new sites on the World Heritage List, including 19 cultural sites, five natural sites, and one mixed site. The total number of World Heritage properties now stands at 1,273 across 173 countries, comprising 991 cultural, 240 natural, and 42 mixed sites.

On the sidelines of the session, Oman highlighted its experience in supporting capacity building and implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Africa during an event titled ‘Strengthening African Expertise in World Heritage’. The presentation reaffirmed the Sultanate’s commitment to international cooperation, knowledge exchange and the protection of cultural and natural heritage.

Oman also displayed the outcomes of its strategic programme with Unesco, launched in 2021, to strengthen World Heritage capacities in five African countries. The initiative has trained around 250 heritage professionals, supported the preparation of World Heritage nomination files and promoted the sustainable management of heritage sites.

The Omani delegation also held bilateral meetings with Unesco officials and representatives of member states to discuss expanding cooperation in heritage protection, capacity building and the exchange of expertise in support of global efforts to safeguard humanity’s shared heritage.

Translated by Muslem al Lawati