UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators for Historic Cairo

UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators for Historic Cairo

The UNESCO-AECID/ACERCA technical seminar took place in Cairo from 26-29 August 2024. A total of 7countries were involved in the seminar held in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) /Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), and the Cairo Governorate. The seminar was attended by the National Statistics Agency (CAPMAS) and 6 NGOs in Egypt. Over the four-day seminar, 90 participants from 10 universities in Egypt engaged with the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicatorsas part of the University Heritage Forum (UHF) project.

The specialized technical seminar on UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators was held at Manial Palace in Cairo from 26-29 August 2024. The seminar was organized in the framework of the AECID/ACERCAprogramme in Egypt, and as part of the UNESCO University Heritage Forum (UHF). Throughout the week, 100 participants were introduced to an urban framework of indicators designed to assess culture's role in achieving the SDGs. Experts learned how to apply these indicators in the urban context of Historic Cairo, confirming the tool's value for ongoing projects that contribute to the management plan of Historic Cairo as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Participants will now begin applying this comprehensive set of indicators in collaboration with local communities, government agencies, and academia. https://whc.unesco.org/en/culture2030indicators/

The seminar began with a keynote presentation by Dr. Nuria Sanz, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo, highlighting UNESCO's four-decade-long efforts to achieve multilateral recognition for the role of culture in development. Dr. Gamal Mustafa expressed MoTA's strong commitment and support for the ongoing initiatives in Historic Cairo. Dr. Alaa El-Habashi and Dr. Eman Kandil from the University of Menoufia, Egypt, presented complementary methodologies.

The seminar showcased enlightening lectures by esteemed speakers, including Dr. Rami Daher (Jordan), Professor at the German Jordanian University, TURATH for Studies and Design on Case Study of As-Salt World Heritage siteDr. Montassar Jmour(Tunisia), Chief Architect, Historic Centre of Tunis on Case Study of the Medina of Tunis World Heritage site, from Tunisia, and Dr. Naima Lahbil (Morocco), UNESCO Expert in Culture 2030 Indicators on UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators. Together with these presentations, a site visit to Historic Cairo, led by mentors of the University Heritage Forum (UHF) project, was conducted to assess the site from the lens of indicator development.

Launched at the inception seminar, the UHF project aims to empower young researchers and professionals in sustainable urban development and heritage preservation. Seven interdisciplinary and inter-university groups have been formed to address priority themes specific to various geographical districts in Historic Cairo. These groups are currently developing innovative plans, strategies and projects that contribute to the Conservation and Management Plan (CMP) for the Historic Cairo World Heritage property.

Based on the findings of the site visit as well as the presentation by CAPMAS experts that provided valuable information on available data sources, each group engaged in collaborative work, culminating in the presentation of their final reports during the plenary session on the last day. Their well-prepared presentations showcased a set of urban cultural indicators addressing specific challenges in each context, demonstrating the tool's value in accommodating diverse needs to monitor and measure the role of culture in sustainable development.

Recognizing the outstanding efforts during the seminar, Dr. Basma Selim from MoTA emphasized its importance in fostering a network and environment conducive to the preservation and regeneration of Historic Cairo. Representing the Cairo Governorate, Dr. Miral Nabil reaffirmed the Governor's commitment to aligning Cairo with the UNESCO Culture|2030 agenda, positioning it as a prominent case study.

Dr. Sanz, Director of the UNESCO Office in Cairo, praised the dedication of experts, mentors, and students throughout this unique one-year process. The results will be presented at the UN Urban Worldwide Summit, which will take place in Cairo this November.

UNESCO Cairo extends its thanks for the successful collaboration established by the Spanish Agency of Cooperation, MoTA, Cairo Governorate, and all the universities involvedin cultural indicators to the UHF project managed by the UNESCO Office in Cairo in cooperation with the Egyptian authorities and in partnership with the universities.