His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, on Sunday opened the Sharjah Heritage Institute (SHI), which houses ICCROM-ATHAR (Architectural and Archaeological Tangible Heritage in the Arab Region), a regional conservation centre founded by the Rome-based ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property).
Sheikh Sultan also unveiled a memorial plaque detailing the opening of the Institute, which coincides with the selection of Sharjah as the capital of Islamic Culture 2014, and then toured various areas of the Institute, whose design was inspired from Islamic architecture.
The Institutes has four galleries and exhibitions, all cantered on Arab and Islamic heritage and civilisation, as well as works of students from the American University of Sharjah and paintings depicting heritage and culture, having been created by students from the schools.
The Ruler of Sharjah was also briefed on the mission and diverse training programmes and services provided by ICCROM Sharjah.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Abdul Aziz Al Musalam, Chairman of SHI, paid tribute to Sheikh Sultan for his pioneering cultural and heritage initiatives.
‘'SHI is one of the latest mega-projects launched by Sheikh Sultan and coincides with the opening of ICCROM Sharjah, coming from a longstanding partnership between the Government of Sharjah and ICCROM beginning in the 1990s, to provide professional training programmes aimed at enhancing conservation practices and recognition of professional accomplishments in the Arab World. Sheikh Sultan allocated a permanent building for ICCROM Sharjah at the SHI,'' he said.
Source: The Gulf Today