UAE Minister Of Culture Explores UNESCO-Nominated Faya Palaeolandscape Site In Sharjah

Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, UAE Minister of Culture and Chairperson of the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, was recently hosted by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and Ambassador of the Faya Palaeolandscape World Heritage Nomination File, at the Faya Palaeolandscape archaeological site in Sharjah’s Mleiha area. This visit underscores the site's nomination for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List, marking a significant step in the recognition of the UAE's rich cultural heritage on a global platform.

The delegation, including Eisa Yousif, Director General of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority (SAA); Khuloud Al Houli Al Suwaidi, Director of Tangible Cultural Heritage Department at the SAA; and other senior officials, explored the Jebel Faya archaeological site, which is among the most pivotal Stone Age sites in both the Arabian Peninsula and globally. Their tour also included the Buhais Geological Park, showcasing the depth of Sharjah’s prehistoric significance.

A meeting chaired by Sheikha Bodour featured a presentation on the Faya Palaeolandscape's historical and cultural significance, emphasizing the area's contribution to the regional and global historical narrative. The presentation highlighted thirty years of dedicated efforts by the Sharjah government, the SAA, the University of Tübingen in Germany, and the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, uncovering evidence of human occupation dating from the early Middle Palaeolithic period, approximately 210,000 years ago, to the Neolithic period, around 6,000 years ago.

Sheikha Bodour expressed her pride in the visit and the collaborative efforts to nominate the Faya Palaeolandscape for World Heritage status, praising the Ministry of Culture and the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science for their significant contributions to the national cultural sector.

Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi commended Sheikha Bodour's ambassadorship and efforts in promoting Sharjah's cultural heritage and securing UNESCO's recognition of the site's outstanding universal value. He highlighted Sharjah's leading role in cultural and heritage preservation under the guidance of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and the Ministry of Culture's commitment to supporting these initiatives.

Eisa Yousif reiterated the SAA’s commitment to enhancing communication with stakeholders to promote the UAE’s tangible cultural heritage and advance the local cultural scene.

This collaboration and the subsequent visit not only spotlight the Faya Palaeolandscape’s potential for World Heritage status but also reinforce Sharjah’s position as a key player in cultural and heritage preservation on the international stage. The efforts to document and protect significant archaeological sites in the UAE continue to contribute to a broader understanding of human history in the region.