NNA - World Monuments Fund (WMF), which is concluding its sixth decade this year, has strengthened its official presence in Arab countries, which have been part of its focus for over two decades. The organization has made significant contributions to the preservation of tangible heritage and has carried out 68 projects in 13 Arab countries since the mid-1990s.
At the end of last month, the World Monuments Fund organized an exploratory tour (Monumental Journey) in several countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. The delegation, composed of 45 individuals, was led by the Fund's President and CEO, Mrs. Benedicte De Montlaur, with the attendance of Her Excellency Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Board Member of the Fund, Dr. Elie Flouty, the Fund's representative in the Arab countries, along with other members of the organization and supporters from various countries and continents. This tour marked the beginning of a stronger official presence of the World Monuments Fund in the Arab region, coinciding with the increasing official and unofficial Arab interest in heritage issues, its preservation, and integrating it into economic, tourism, and social development plans. This also aligns with the WMFs 60th anniversary celebration.
Dr. Elie Flouty stated, "We can now say that the World Monuments Fund has an official presence in our region, which is rich in world heritage sites. We will work with all Arab governmental and non-governmental entities and international institutions to safeguard our ancient Arab heritage. World Monuments Fund is currently active in 14 sites across various Arab countries and collaborates with both governments and local communities to implement these projects, providing funding and expertise."
Among the most significant initiatives of the World Monuments Fund is the World Monuments Watch, a list of endangered sites issued every two years, which includes 25 historic places. For the 2025 list, three sites from the Arab region were included: the Jewish heritage in Debdou in Morocco, the historic urban fabric of Gaza City, and the water reservoirs (Majels) in the Old City of Tunis.
The delegation's tour in the Gulf region included several stops, starting in Kuwait. They visited the Amricani Cultural Center, where they were received by Her Highness Sheikha Hessa Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the general supervisor of the Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah. The delegation also visited the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (Arab Fund), where Dr. Mohamed Al-Rumaihi discussed the history of Kuwait and its major economic and social milestones. They visited the Soof Center for Spinning and the Grand Mosque, designed by architect Mohamed Saleh Makia.
In Bahrain, the delegation visited the city of Muharraq and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Pearling Path, the Bahrain National Museum, and several houses within the Sheikh Ibrahim Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research. They also visited Bahrain Fort and its museum, the Dilmun Burial Mounds listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list, and had a special visit to the Rashid Al-Khalifa Foundation for the Arts in Riffa.
In Saudi Arabia, the delegation visited the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, explored the Old City of Jeddah, and toured the home of architect Sami Angawi, which reflects the architecture of Hijaz. They also visited Medina and its major religious landmarks and concluded their visit to Al-Ula, a site rich in human heritage, natural, and cultural landmarks.
World Monuments Fund is the world's leading non-governmental organization for heritage preservation. Headquartered in New York, the Fund has offices in Peru, London, Paris, Spain, Portugal, India, and China, with projects in 112 countries. It has worked on over 700 heritage sites. Founded by Colonel James A. Gray in 1965, the Fund began its work by focusing on rock-hewn churches in Ethiopia. Following the 1966 floods that devastated Venice, Colonel Gray rallied efforts to protect Italy's heritage treasures.
WMF's mission is to save the most threatened landmarks, whether from war or climate change. The latter is a major threat to heritage in most parts of the world, except in the Arab region, where most requests for help to the organization cite war-related destruction, as seen in Syria, Libya, Iraq, and other countries.
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