ICCROM-Award for Good Practices announces Jury Committee

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and the Ruler of Sharjah, the ICCROM-Sharjah Award for Good Practices is a biennial competition that spotlights exceptional initiatives that have demonstrated tangible results in addressing the challenges faced by cultural heritage professionals and communities. 

"The ICCROM-Sharjah Award for Good Practices is one of our pioneer initiatives. It celebrates groundbreaking and influential projects that have significantly contributed to protecting and enhancing cultural heritage in the Arab region," said Mr. Nasir Al Darmaki, Deputy Manager of the ICCROM Regional Centre in Sharjah. "The unveiling of the Jury Committee, composed of a group of experts and professionals in the fields of culture, heritage, and architecture,  for the current award cycle signals a crucial step towards selecting the winning projects independently and objectively."

ICCROM is honored to introduce the esteemed six members of the Jury Committee who will be responsible for evaluating and selecting the award recipients for the 2023-2024 cycle of the ICCROM-Sharjah Award for Good Practices:

Dr. Farouk Yaghmour (Jordan) is a practicing Architect and holder of a PhD, a Master's degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, USA, and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Hochschule fur Architektur und Bauwesen Weimar, Germany. He is the Chairman of the Board and Partner-in-Charge at Yaghmour Architects, Jordan. 

Architect Najet Hedhly (Tunisia), Former Dean of the National School of Architecture and Urbanism (ENAU) and Professor, specialized in local and sustainable development, environmental conservation, and medina preservation in Tunisia. She holds degrees in Architecture and Urban Planning from the Institute of Art, Architecture, and Urban Planning of Tunis (ITAAUT), complemented by a postgraduate certificate in Developing Countries from the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland.

Architect Sumaya Dabbagh (Saudi Arabia) is a Saudi architect, a graduate of the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, and the founder of Dabbagh Architects in Dubai. She has received several international awards for excellence in contemporary cultural designs considering heritage, identity, and place.

Sheikh Ebrahim AlKhalifa (Bahrain) is the Deputy Director of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), which is based in the Kingdom of Bahrain. He oversees the Regional Centre's programmes to raise public awareness of cultural and natural heritage in the region and coordinates with States Parties to support the implementation of the Convention.

Architect Abeer Seikaly (Jordan) is a Jordanian-Palestinian architect, artist, and multidisciplinary cultural producer. Her artistic and architectural practice is rooted in memory-preserving activities such as recording, documenting, archiving, and collecting. She draws inspiration from traditional knowledge in the Arab world, mainly the Jordanian desert.

HE Marwa Al Aqroubi (UAE), the Executive Director of House of Wisdom in Sharjah, UAEBBY President, SBA Board Member, and Supervisor of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature since 2010. With a distinguished record in publishing, she leads many efforts to revitalize Arab and Islamic heritage.

For more information about the Award, please visit: https://iccromsharjahawards.org/

The Jury Committee plays a crucial role in the award process. These esteemed experts meticulously evaluate the nominated projects, ensuring that the award recipients embody the pinnacle of excellence, innovation, and impact. "The diverse backgrounds, extensive knowledge, and deep understanding of the cultural heritage sector of the Jury Committee members lend inclusivity, credibility, and objectivity to the selection process, making the ICCROM-Sharjah Award a highly prestigious recognition in the field," said Shireen Sahouri, Programme Officer, Outreach and Development at the ICCROM Regional Centre in Sharjah.

The jury committee will convene later this month to review all submitted projects and select the shortlist. These projects will then compete for the prestigious ICCROM-Sharjah Award for Good Practices. Through their collective deliberations, the Jury Committee will identify the recipients who embody the spirit and objectives of the Award, setting a new standard for excellence in cultural heritage preservation and management. The winning projects will be unveiled at a special ceremony expected to be held in Sharjah in November 2024.

The ICCROM Regional Centre in Sharjah is a cultural hub generously supported by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah and member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates. The office is a powerhouse of cultural heritage knowledge, specially created for widespread adoption in Arabic-speaking countries. Launched in 2012, ICCROM-Sharjah is dedicated to protecting cultural heritage in the Arab region and broadening access, appreciation, and understanding of its rich history.