Who We are

Chairperson's Message

Welcome to the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), a Category 2 Centre under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

ARC-WH was established in 2012 as an initiative from the Kingdom of Bahrain to serve 19 Arab State Parties and to work closely with UNESCO to strengthen the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention; an agreement dedicated to protecting and promoting the cultural and natural heritage of all the nations of the world. 

 

ARC-WH takes an integrated approach to safeguarding the region’s unique heritage. In addition to reinforcing the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in the Arab States, ARC-WH is committed to raising public awareness of cultural and natural heritage in the region and reaching out to Arab youth to support the Convention. ARC-WH also plays a role in supporting UNESCO in its efforts to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) in alignment with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030.

As we look to the future of heritage conservation and management, ARC-WH aims to be at the forefront of these efforts, orienting its capacities as a Category 2 Centre towards the safeguarding of the region’s exceptional World Heritage and supporting sustainable development; addressing the issues of climate change and ensuring the wellbeing of local communities.

 

ARC-WH invites you to explore the resources of this website and join us in bringing together the Arab world in solidarity to protect our rich Arab heritage for generations to come.

 

Sh. Khalifa Al Khalifa

Chairperson of the Governing Board of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH)

Overview

The Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), based in the Kingdom of Bahrain, was established in 2012 to ensure heritage sites are identified, protected, monitored, and sustainably managed in the Arab States. ARC WH is a category 2 Centre under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and serves the 19 Arab States towards the promotion and management of cultural and natural sites, by providing technical support and reinforcing the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention.

The Governing Board

The Governing Board is Chaired by the President of Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Kingdom of Bahrain) and consists of the following Board Members: a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kingdom of Bahrain), a representative of each of the Member States from the Arab States region serving as members of the World Heritage Committee, a representative of the UNESCO Director-General, a representative of each of the Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Committee .i.e. ICOMOS, IUCN and ICCROM, and a representative from the African World Heritage Fund.

Vision

To protect the cultural and natural heritage of the 19 Arab States by providing knowledge and technical assistance that supports the effective implementation of the World Heritage Convention in the Arab region.

Mission

To strengthen the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in the Arab States by providing information, knowledge, and advice to State Parties and facilitating coordination and cooperation among stakeholders at the international, national, and local levels of the World Heritage system, for the benefit of World Heritage sites in the region.

Objectives

  1. Contribute to a representative and balanced World Heritage List in the Arab States, reflecting the cultural and natural diversity of the region.
  2. Enhance the protection, conservation, and management of World Heritage, particularly for sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, including through emergency preparedness, disaster risk response, and planning for recovery.
  3. Improve the integration of sustainable development policies in the management of World Heritage sites.
  4. Enhancing access to the information and knowledge that professionals, institutions and decision –makers need to better protect World Heritage
  5. ARC-WH strengthens policy and legal and institutional frameworks for effective protection and management of heritage resources. It also promotes good governance to manage World Heritage properties effectively.