Palestinian Delegation to Seek UNESCO Support for Gaza Heritage Site in New Delhi

A high-ranking Palestinian delegation will participate in the 46th UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee meeting in New Delhi to advocate for the inclusion of the Tell Umm Amer site in Gaza on the World Heritage in Danger list, highlighting the destructive impact of conflict on cultural heritage.

Dr. Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, the charge d'affaires a.i. and Media Advisor of the Embassy of Palestine in New Delhi, announced that a high-ranking Palestinian delegation will participate in the 46th Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, held by UNESCO in New Delhi from July 21-31 at the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition and Convention Center (IECC). Jazer stated that the Palestinian delegation will seek support from 21 member states of the World Heritage Committee, UNESCO, to include the Tell Umm Amer site—the monastery of St. Hilarion in the Gaza Strip—on the list of World Heritage in Danger.

According to Jazer, India's support for this inclusion will be highly appreciated as it would underscore India's contributions towards enhancing Palestinians' capabilities in protecting their heritage and historical sites. The statement emphasized that Palestine aims to protect its heritage sites, which are under systematic destruction by Israeli occupation forces, by registering the Tell Umm Amer site.

The statement further detailed the damaging effects of the brutal war in the Gaza Strip on cultural buildings and archaeological sites, highlighting the need for urgent and long-term preservation measures. Palestine has also called on India to condemn the deliberate targeting of the site and its access road, stressing the importance of preserving its Outstanding Universal Value amidst ongoing threats, both natural and human-made. The delegation will include notable figures such as H.E. Monir Anastas, the Palestinian Ambassador to UNESCO, and H.E. Adnan Abu Al-hayjaa, the Palestinian Ambassador to India.

(With inputs from agencies.)