(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
ABU DHABI, 13th February, 2019 (WAM) -- Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, Chairman of the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH), has said that ALIPH is a "brilliant example" of French- Emirati collaboration in the area of cultural salvation.
Established in 2017, following an International Conference on Safeguarding Endangered Cultural Heritage in Conflict Areas in Abu Dhabi in 2016, the ALIPH foundation finances projects for the implementation of preventive, emergency protection, conservation and restoration programmes for cultural property endangered due to armed conflict. UAE announced a financial contribution of US$15 million for the foundation.
Thomas S. Kaplan, a private donor to the foundation, said that the UAE has taken leadership position on the restoration of Mosul museum, and this is the flagship project of ALIPH. "Mosul of course is an area which the UAE has taken a lead in reconstruction," and it also showcased the common initiative of the UAE, France, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Kuwait in restoring this museum.
In an interview with the Emirates News Agency, WAM, after the foundation's board fifth meeting at the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, he said that there is a profound satisfaction by all of the membership of the ALIPH board, being able to hold our meeting here at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. "Which all of us considered to be perhaps the most important cultural initiative of our generation."
He added that the fact that Louvre Abu Dhabi has risen in contradiction to the collapse of Palmyra, an ancient city in Homs Governorate, Syria, is a testament to the leadership and the inspiration that the UAE has taken in being able to present a vision for this region.
"That is one of tolerance", he noted, of finding areas of building bridges and shows our common humanity and the common bonds of our civilisation and represents the best of the bests in this region's aspirations to be a central point of promoting our all common humanity.
"We are able to show that even in times of deep crisis, we are able to mobilise an alliance of civilisations in the preservation of the common inheritance of mankind," Dr. Kaplan added.
ALIPH is an "alliance" between several states, private partners and experts, guaranteeing a pluralistic vision. The following states, institutions and individuals have decided to come together to fund this initiative. France, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, Luxembourg and China have provided financial support. ALIPH also benefits from the support of Switzerland and received contributions from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and philanthropists Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan and Jean-Claude Gandur. Of the US$ 77.5 million in pledges, US$ 60 million have already been paid out.
WAM/MOHD AAMIR/Tariq alfaham
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