The Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) organized its third workshop aimed at developing a management plan for the Zubaydah Trail as a transboundary World Heritage site.
Running until November 9, the workshop brought together over 30 experts from both Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Centre's Board of Directors, was present at the workshop.
The "Pilgrimage Routes: Zubaydah Trail" is the first transboundary site in the Arab world to be nominated for inclusion in the World Heritage List. It is currently on the preliminary lists of both Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Shaikh Khalifa emphasized that the workshop's primary objective is to promote the heritage of the Arab region on the UNESCO World Heritage List, with a special focus on the Zubaydah Trail as the first transboundary site in the Arab world. He noted that this cultural heritage has the potential to contribute significantly to sustainable development efforts for local communities.
The workshop covers various aspects related to the management of World Heritage sites in accordance with international standards, focusing on preserving their authenticity and ensuring sustainability. It is part of a capacity-building program set to continue until December, aimed at creating a management plan for the "Darb Zubaydah" site. This program receives support from the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) and the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH).
The program, initiated following a technical support request from Saudi Arabia, concentrates on developing national management plans, legal protection mechanisms, defining buffer zone boundaries, and aligning objectives with sustainable development goals. The ultimate aim is to integrate these aspects into the protection and management processes for World Heritage Sites.
Transboundary sites are composite properties with multiple components that possess outstanding universal value and are situated within the territories of the States Parties. They are not necessarily contiguous in terms of borders.
The 1972 World Heritage Convention's Guidelines Document encourages the joint submission of nominations for properties with a unique nature that involves multiple States Parties.