Paving the Roadmap for the Protection of Cultural Heritage

On April 18, 2024, the UNESCO Regional Cairo Office for Egypt and Sudan, in liaison with the League of Arab States, organized an expert meeting to assess the Impact of War on Sudanese Cultural Heritage. The meeting aimed to delve into the findings of questionnaires distributed among key stakeholders in Antiquities, Living Heritage, Art, and Archives. This meeting was a continuation of the workshop on Crisis Response, Risk Mitigation, and First Aid for Sudan’s Heritage held on April 16-17, 2024.

At the opening session, the UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo extended a warm welcome to the participants, highlighting UNESCO's support for Sudan, including projects involving the National Sudan Museum in Khartoum, the Old Dongola archaeological site, the Sudanese Artists Union in Egypt, and Sudan's living heritage. It was emphasized that Sudan is a signatory to the UNESCO 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in Armed Conflict. The objectives of the expert meeting were outlined, aiming to draft a roadmap with an action plan and a monitoring/evaluation framework based on the questionnaire findings.

Mr. Muhammed Mustafa, Assistant for Culture at the Sudanese National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM), conveyed greetings from Mrs. Wafaa Seed Ahmed, the Secretary General of the Sudanese NATCOM, and Prof. Yousif Fadul, Chairperson of the Culture Committee in Sudanese NATCOM. He commended UNESCO's efforts and stressed the necessity of promoting peace in the minds of both men and women.

Dr. Ikhlas Abdullatif, Deputy Director of Museums in the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums in Sudan, advocated for a roadmap to protect cultural heritage.

Dr. Ismail Al-FIhail, Advisor for the National Council for Cultural Heritage and the Promotion of National Languages, expressed gratitude to UNESCO and called for continued partnership in safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Sudan, referencing previous successful capacity-building efforts in this area.

Dr. Afaf Mohamed Hassan, representing the National Records Office in Sudan, provided an overview of the office's 100-year history and collections, representing the Sudanese people's socioeconomic, cultural, and political life. She emphasized the duty to pass these records to future generations.

Mr. Michael Delacruz, Operations Manager of Blue Shield International, explained the mission and activities of Blue Shield International, stressing its ongoing support for evacuating artefacts from war zones. He called for the urgent establishment of Blue Shield Sudan (BSS) to respond to the humanitarian crisis affecting Sudanese people and endangering its heritage.

Dr. Abdelrahman Ali, a UNESCO expert, presented the results of the questionnaire, highlighting the deliberate destruction of sites and museums in Sudan and the urgent need to safeguard Sudan's heritage in all its dimensions. He stressed the need for enhanced actions, including raising awareness among stakeholders, ensuring emergency evacuation, and promoting digital protection. He also called for international action and campaigns to protect Sudan's heritage and creativity affected by the conflict.

Group discussions focused on Tangible Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Documentary Heritage, and Art, leading to the formulation of action plans with short-, mid-, and long-term timelines in each respective area.