Summary: On June 26 2018, the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage organized a symposium on “Water Heritage and Oases Landscapes”, in cooperation with IPOGEA Traditional Knowledge Research Center, and in the presence of HE Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa,

On June 26 2018, the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage organized a symposium on “Water Heritage and Oases Landscapes”, in cooperation with IPOGEA Traditional Knowledge Research Center, and in the presence of HE Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, and Doctor Shadia Toukan, Director of the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage. The symposium was organized on the sidelines of the 42nd Session of the World Heritage Committee held at the UNESCO village in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Manama until July 4, 2018.
At the beginning of the symposium, Ms. Susan Denyer of the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) confirmed that the Arab world employs a wide variety of water management systems that are rooted in the social and economic traditions of the communities living in the region. She pointed out that traditional water management systems are found in all Arab countries including Egypt, Morocco, Iraq, the Arab Gulf countries, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. Due to the dry geographical nature prevailing in most parts of the Arab world, the local communities were obliged to develop innovative ways to save water. One of the oldest water saving systems exists in Jordan and dates back to the eighth millennium BC.
Engineer Pietro Loriano, Director of the Center for Traditional Knowledge Research, said that the oasis system is well known in the Arab region as a cultural landscape. It is a living proof that humans can cope with harsh environments, and is one of the most complex and genius systems used to circumvent water scarcity in deserts that cover 60% of the land area in the Arab World. Loriano defined oases as human settlements established in dry geographical environments as a result of human cultural efforts blending with the existing nature: oases host a variety of activities including cultivation, cattle breeding, trade and fishing. He pointed out to the work done by world heritage researchers to discover the techniques used by humans to provide resources to survive dry desert environments including, in addition to oases, the Aflaj irrigation systems that are very popular in the Gulf States. Loriano underlined the importance of raising awareness of this part of natural cultural heritage which, albeit being a major local identity-shaping factor, remains the heritage type least represented in the UNESCO World Heritage System. At the end of his address, Loriano hoped that better opportunities will be available in the future to include oases in the World Heritage List as a valuable heritage that contributes to the development of sustainable eco-tourism.
Mr. Nasser Al Rawahi, Director of the Aflaj site in Oman, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, spoke about the protection and management of the Aflaj site. He explained that the Aflaj system dates back to over 2000 years ago and is a canal that carries water from its sources, including groundwater, surface water, and springs to the urban areas. Al Rawahi pointed out that the plan to protect and manage the Aflaj site includes an effort to involve the community in the conservation process, which will have a positive impact on the sustainability of the site. He added that the challenges faced in the Aflaj sites include unplanned urban expansion, unplanned changing of the Aflaj course, and pumping well water into the Aflaj canals.
After the symposium, the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage opened an exhibition in the lobby of the UNESCO village. The exhibition will run until the end of the World Heritage Committee meeting. It showcases valuable photos and information about the oases, their types and geographical distribution across the Arab region. Among the types of oases found in the Arab world are the mountain oases, sand oases, valley oases and low-land oases.
Less than 10% of World Heritage Sites in the Arab World are related to water heritage. The Arab World has 82 sites on the World Heritage List, including 74 cultural sites, 5 natural sites and 3 mixed sites (both natural and cultural).