Qatar will be represented on the committee by Qatar Museums (QM), the institution that preserves and advocates for the nation’s cultural heritage.
QM chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani said: “As a nation that prizes its legacy and history and views cultural exchange as an indispensable avenue toward international understanding, Qatar is honoured 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 recognised 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.”
QM 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 at QM, who was unanimously named as rapporteur of the committee, said: “We promise to uphold the integrity and values of The 2nd 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 second protocol and allocation of resources.”