Kuwait Accelerates Procedures to Complete Kuwait Towers' Nomination File for World Heritage List
Press coverage 3 newspapers covered this event: Al-Anba · Al-Qabas · KUNA →
Minister of Education Jalal Al-Tabtabaie holds a meeting to discuss completing the nomination file for the Kuwait Towers for World Heritage.
Translated by Qiyas from القبس — Original source
Education Minister Jalal Al-Tabtabaie, State Minister for Communications and Information Technology and Acting Minister of Information and Culture Omar Al-Omar, and State Minister for Municipal Affairs and State Minister for Housing Engineer Abdul Latif Al-Mutairi held a ministerial meeting on Thursday, attended by an international advisory mission and representatives of relevant national entities, to discuss completing the file for nominating the Kuwait Towers for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In a statement, the Ministry of Education said the meeting coincided with the international advisory mission’s visit to Kuwait from November 9 to 12, as part of national efforts to support the nomination process and preserve the historical and cultural status of the Kuwait Towers, which are among the most prominent national landmarks embodying the country’s urban development journey and cultural identity.
The Ministry added that the meeting reviewed the key technical and procedural aspects related to the nomination file for the Kuwait Towers’ inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, discussed relevant international requirements and criteria, and explored ways to enhance coordination and cooperation between relevant national entities and the international advisory mission, thereby contributing to finalizing the nomination file and highlighting the historical, architectural, and civilizational value of the Kuwait Towers.
According to the Ministry’s statement, the participants also discussed the importance of unifying visions and achieving integration among relevant government authorities to ensure compliance with internationally recognized nomination requirements, preserve the site’s Outstanding Universal Value, and strike a balance between the needs of protecting national heritage and the requirements of urban development and modernization.
The meeting emphasized, according to the statement, the importance of continuing institutional cooperation and coordination among relevant entities, and completing the required studies and technical documents to support the Kuwait Towers’ nomination file, reflecting Kuwait’s commitment to preserving its historical and architectural landmarks and safeguarding its civilizational heritage for future generations.
The Ministry noted that the meeting also included Dr. Mohammed Al-Jassar, Secretary-General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters; Assistant Secretary-General for the Arts Sector at the Council, Musaed Al-Zamil; the acting Director of the National Commission for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) at the Ministry of Education, Adhari Al-Qallaf; Alessandro Bassi, representative of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Nicholas Clarke, international expert in cultural heritage at the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS); and a number of specialists and representatives of relevant entities.
The Ministry concluded that these efforts are a continuation of the work initiated by relevant national entities, and follow recent coordination meetings to monitor the nomination file, including a meeting held last April by Education Minister Jalal Al-Tabtabaie, which addressed the challenges associated with inscribing the Kuwait Towers and Water Towers on the World Heritage List, and the means to meet the necessary technical and documentary requirements.
