Sharjah 24: A delegation from the Centre for International Cultural Heritage Organisations, affiliated with the Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH), visited the presidential office of the International Organisation of Folk Art (IOV) in the Kingdom of Bahrain, to conclude the work of the joint meeting, which focused on ways to enhance cultural and artistic cooperation between the two teams.
The meeting also addressed the mechanisms for activating the international organisation’s office, which is hosted by the centre in the Emirate of Sharjah.
This came in the presence of His Excellency Ali Abdullah Khalifa, President of the organisation, and Sultan Majid Al Khader, Director of the centre.
Sultan Majid Al Khader expressed his deep gratitude for the warm reception, pointing out that the meeting between the two parties represented a qualitative opportunity to discuss the prospects for enhancing cooperation, and put forward constructive ideas that contribute to advancing efforts aimed at preserving tangible and intangible cultural heritage to more successful and diverse spaces.
He stressed that the Emirate of Sharjah considers culture and heritage a major tool for preserving the values and identity of societies and an important guarantee for the sustainability of its ancient history and the preservation of its heritage. Therefore, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, it works to support institutional efforts at the governmental and community levels in this aspect.
He added that the Emirate has succeeded, with distinction, in consolidating its position as a global destination for culture and an incubator of global human heritage, which is a worthy culmination of the cultural choice that the Emirate has adopted through its pioneering cultural project, and its goals that are implemented by the SIH through its various cultural and heritage initiatives and projects.
Sharjah hosts the headquarters of many Arab and international organisations and institutions active in the field of culture and folklore, in addition to its continuous hosting of conferences, meetings, and holding scientific seminars specialised in this aspect, including the meetings of the International Organisation of Folk Art and its support for the efforts of workers active in the field of heritage preservation, in addition to the participation of the SIH in international events and activities in the field of cultural and popular heritage.
For his part, His Excellency Ali Abdullah Khalifa, President of the International Organisation of Folk Art, praised the great efforts made by the Emirate of Sharjah in supporting culture at the Arab and regional levels, in line with the vision of the delegation representing the Centre, to determine the legal status of the regional headquarters of the International Organisation of Folk Art, contributing to activating the headquarters, and proposing initiatives aimed at spreading awareness of tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
He stressed that this step came as part of joint efforts to enhance cultural heritage in the region, which contributes to enhancing understanding, exchange and relations between countries and peoples, as this meeting is considered one of the models of joint cultural cooperation between the organisation’s presidential office, which is hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the SIH's Centre.
This has occurred since Bahrain assumed the presidency of the organisation in 2016. These efforts resulted in holding two general assemblies of the organisation in Sharjah in 2019 and 2023, in addition to holding an international scientific symposium on popular culture, and holding constructive international meetings.
The meetings also addressed the mechanism of joint work, the rationale for nominating representatives to represent the organisation in the regional office, and the commitment of the various parties to their responsibilities and goals that aim to create an effective role for the organisation regionally and globally, and strengthen the position of the Centre as a global beacon for the fields of cultural heritage, which is the first center of its kind in the region.
It includes six international organizations specialized in the field of cultural heritage, namely: ICCROM Centre - Sharjah, the Middle East and North Africa Regional Centre of International Organisation of Folk Art (IOV), the International Council of Organisations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts (CIOFF), Olymias Giochi Tradizionali Della Sardegna (Olymias of Traditional Games in Sardinia-MENA Office), the Chinese Centre for Cultural Exchange (ZJSU University), National Institute of Archeology and Heritage in Rabat (MENA Office) . .
The International Organisation of Folk Art (IOV), which was founded in 1979 in Austria, is a non-governmental organisation specialising in documenting and preserving intangible cultural heritage and spreading awareness of the most important issues related to it by supporting scientific research related to various aspects of tangible and intangible heritage around the world. It also holds international heritage festivals and celebrations to promote the importance of reviving various types of heritage. The organisation has active branches in 167 countries around the world, and includes members and governmental and private teams. It also includes two academic studies and individuals interested in preserving heritage and reviving customs and traditions.
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