Sharjah24: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, ICCROM-Sharjah announced the shortlisted projects nominated for the third cycle of its biannual “Award for Good Practices in Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management in the Arab Region” (2021-2022).

The shortlisted projects were finalized during a virtual meeting that took place recently on March 29, 2022 and attended by the members of the Jury Committee of the award. The independent Jury Committee, which includes seven distinguished Arab and international renowned specialists, reviewed some eligible projects submitted to the award from 9 Arab countries. Eventually, the Jury Committee selected a shortlist of 15 significant projects to be nominated for the 3rd cycle of the award in its two main categories: heritage sites and buildings; and collections in cultural institutions such as museums and archives. The 15 shortlisted projects are: 

Archaeological sites:
1. Sheltering and Protecting Hicham's Palace’s Mosaic Floor, Palestine
2. Collart-Palmyre: a comprehensive project on the Baalsahamîn temple in Palmyra, Syria
3. Conservation of the 2nd Century Temple of Artemis at Jerash, Jordan

Historic buildings: 
4. Restoration and Rehabilitation of Dar Al Sabbagh in Bethlehem, Palestine
5. The restoration and rehabilitation of the Matan Heritage Village, Tafileh, Jordan
6. Restoration and Rehabilitation of Old Hebron Museum, Palestine
7. Sheikh Abdal Mosque Restoration in Mosul, Iraq
8. Traditional House Restoration in Ghadames, Libya

Historic areas:
9. Rehabilitation and restoration of residential courtyards and historical buildings in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem, Palestine
10. Restoration and Revitalization of Al Qurna Village of Hasan Fathi, Egypt
11. Beirut Assist Cultural Heritage (BACH), a project to recover the affected area following the Beirut blast in the Port of Beirut, Lebanon

Collections in Cultural Institutions:
12. The transportation of the Khufu's first boat to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt
13. Documentation, Archiving, preservation and restoration of the historical maps of Al Azhar Library in Cairo, Egypt
14. Revitalization and Conservation of the Cultural Heritage of Al Qarara Village in Gaza, Palestine
15. Digital Documentation of Historical Documents in Jerusalem, Palestine

“All projects submitted to the award were distinguished by their professionalism and merit. In fact, it was very difficult for the Jury Committee to select a shortlist of 15 projects to be nominated for the award. This process affirms the remarkable development and progress of the cultural heritage in the Arab world, particularly in terms of preservation, restoration, presentation and management”, said Dr. Zaki Aslan, Director of ICCROM-Sharjah.

"This cycle was also distinguished by the participation of several authorities and institutions concerned with cultural heritage in the Arab region. In this regard, a large number of projects were received from nine Arab countries. The winning projects will be announced in a special ceremony to be held in the second half of next May in Sharjah, UAE”, Dr Aslan concluded. 

The ICCROM-Sharjah Award for Good Practices in Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management in the Arab Region was first launched in 2017. This prestigious award seeks to recognise and reward outstanding projects and works that contribute to the protection and vitality of tangible cultural heritage in the Arab world.  The award reflects ICCROM-Sharjah’s commitment to help safeguard movable and immovable cultural heritage of the Arab region, promote good practices in the conservation and management of cultural heritage, facilitate international exchange of knowledge and experience in cultural heritage conservation and management, and enhance public awareness and appreciation of cultural heritage.

In every biennial cycle, the ICCROM-Sharjah Award selects the members of the jury from committee among a large number of distinguished and well-known experts and specialists at both Arab and international levels. The list of Jury Committee members of the current cycle includes: Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi, Dr. Ulrike Al-Khamis, Ms. Manal Ataya, Dr. Stefano Di Caro, Dr. Amra Hadžimuhamedović, Dr. Salah M. Hassan and Architect Jad Tabet.