The Following Is A Report By Qatar's Official News Agency (QNA) As Part Of The Cultural File By The Federation Of Arab News Agencies (FANA)

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) CUL-QATAR-FANA-REPORT
Qatari cultural institutions: Ongoing efforts to preserve cultural heritage locally, regionally

DOHA, Aug 30 (KUNA) -- Qatar continues to strengthen its leadership position in preserving Arab documentary heritage through commitment to enhancing regional and international cooperation in this field.
The National Archives of Qatar, in cooperation with UNESCO, announced the Memory of the World Committee for the Arab Region (MOWCAR), during the regional conference hosted by Doha in January 2025 under the title "Memory in Heritage: Enhancing Cooperation on Documentary Heritage in the Arab Region".
The conference, organized under the auspices of the National Archives of Qatar and UNESCO, saw the election of the Secretary General of the National Archives of Qatar, Dr. Ahmad Al-Buainain, as Chairman of MOWCAR, a step that represents the culmination of Qatar's growing role in supporting Arab documentary memory.
In addition to this achievement, Qatar National Library (QNL) celebrated the opening of the Regional Office for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) with the aim of enhancing coordinating between institutions concerned with preserving documentary heritage in the Arab world and the Middle East.
In the same context, the establishment of the Qatari National Committee to implement UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW) Programme was announced as a national mechanism to prepare a national register of documentary heritage under the name Qatari Memory of the World Register.
It also proposes documents eligible for World Heritage status for registration in the MoW Register, in addition to the cooperation and coordination with the MoW Programme's Secretariat, Gulf regional committee for the MoW Programme and the relevant authorities in the country.
In this context, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Chairman of the National Committee, Dr. Ghanem Al-Ali, told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the establishment of the National Committee on Memory of the World came as a result of a Cabinet decision to implement the MoW Programme, established by UNESCO to protect and preserve the world's documentary heritage in coordination with the relevant authorities.
He added that the committee is concerned with proposing partnerships with public and private sectors regarding the implementation of the country's MoW programme. It will be activated through the Ministry of Culture and will organize programs, events, and activities to introduce the MoW programme and raise awareness of the importance of the preservation of documentary heritage, in coordination with the relevant authorities.
He pointed out that the National Committee is currently working on collecting documents, developing a mechanism to sort them, classifying the original copies, and working on the MoW project in its initial stages.
During the coming period, it will organize a series of workshops aimed at training in methods of preserving documents, raising awareness of their importance, and shedding light on efforts to preserve them for future generations.
The Committee, in cooperation with relevant authorities, also aims to introduce the MoW Programme and raise awareness among segments of society about the importance of preserving documentary heritage by organizing several events.
The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture affirmed that the State of Qatar attaches great importance to the protection and preservation of documentary heritage, as it constitutes a true and sustainable legacy for future generations.
From this standpoint, the National Committee works closely with UNESCO to coordinate its mandate and implement its tasks and programs.
He said that cooperation with UNESCO is ongoing and intensive, serving efforts to protect and preserve world documentary heritage, indicating that Qatar is keen to enhance its initiatives in the field of documentary heritage preservation by supporting local, regional, and international efforts to preserve historical documents and raise awareness of their importance.
Documentary heritage is one of the fundamental pillars that reflect the identity and history of nations, making its protection and preservation a collective responsibility that requires integrated efforts to ensure its sustainability for future generations.
For his part, Secretary General of National Archives of Qatar said that preserving Arab documentary heritage is an integral responsibility.
Considering the transformations taking place in the Arab world and the accompanying increasing risks that threaten national archives and the historical memory of peoples, the importance of the role played by the MOWCAR, affiliated with the UNESCO, is highlighted.
Last January, the State of Qatar was elected Chair of the Committee, which reflects the great confidence that the Arab world places in the State of Qatar and its distinguished role in preserving documentary heritage, he said.
Secretary General of MOWCAR Dr. Ahmad Al-Buainain, speaking to QNA, affirmed the importance of preserving Arab documentary heritage, considering it a collective responsibility that requires institutional coordination and a strategic vision, pointing to Qatar's efforts to preserve its documentary heritage through an ambitious strategy and leading projects based on advanced infrastructure and high technical expertise in the fields of digital preservation and preventive maintenance.
He explained MOWCAR represents a regional organizational framework with a strategic function in preserving Arab documentary heritage, raising awareness of the importance of historical documents as an integral part of collective memory and a key element for the identity of peoples.
Since the launch of the MoW Programme of the UNESCO in 1992, it has relied on an organizational structure that includes two levels of subcommittees: regional, and national committees.
He said that the Committee was launched with a pivotal role in coordinating Arab efforts and directing them toward integrated action to address the challenges of preservation, documentation, and digitization.
He said that the committee's launch also highlights the importance of Arab documentary heritage, which has not received the utmost representation in the MoW Register, with its representation not exceeding 4 percent, an unrealistic percentage compared to the size of Arab documentary heritage, its richness, long history, and its vast geographic area.
He affirmed that the committee's approach relies on regional cooperation as a practical tool for strengthening institutional capacities in Arab countries, seeking to direct activities towards joint approaches including vocational training, expertise transfer, and sharing of best practices in documentary heritage preservation, as well as works to support collective nomination files for the MoW Register, contributing to enhancing cognitive integration among countries with shared historical or cultural ties.
Regarding coordination mechanisms adopted between Arab countries within the committee, he explained that the committee adopts an organizational structure based on National Contact Points (NCPs) in each member state, in addition to subcommittees and thematic working groups concerned with various aspects of documentary heritage preservation.
The committee also relies on a mechanism of periodic meetings and training workshops, which are held regularly to enhance the exchange of expertise and capacity building, in addition to partnerships with regional and international bodies. This structure contributes to achieving a high level of technical and institutional coordination and enables flexible and integrated field intervention.
The Secretary-General of the National Archives of Qatar and MOWCAR Chairman outlined the committee's key plans to preserve Arab documentary heritage in four main areas; the first includes tra

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