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Saudi Arabia Launches Arab Week at UNESCO in Paris

Saudi Arabia launches Arab Week at UNESCO in Paris. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia launches Arab Week at UNESCO in Paris. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Launches Arab Week at UNESCO in Paris

Saudi Arabia launches Arab Week at UNESCO in Paris. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia launches Arab Week at UNESCO in Paris. (SPA)

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Monday inaugurated the first Arab Week at UNESCO initiative in Paris in an event organized by the Arab Group at the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The event was attended by Saudi Arabia’s permanent Arab representatives, several ambassadors, Arab and international diplomats in France, and a group of UNESCO officials and leaders.
Marking the first of its kind in the Arab world in over half a century, the event was officially launched by Jordanian Ambassador to France Leena Al-Hadid, who also serves as the chair of the Arab Group at UNESCO.
Al-Hadid emphasized that the event provides a unique opportunity to spotlight the rich cultural heritage of the Arab world that spans centuries, referring to the region's extensive contributions to science, philosophy, literature, and arts.
During the launch, Al-Hadid extended the Arab Group's appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its valuable initiative and to Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan for his efforts and support in making this exceptional event possible for the Arab countries, which drew significant cultural participation from various nations.
Throughout Arab Week at UNESCO, 22 booths representing the Arab countries are showcasing their cultural heritage, history, and elements of their civilizations, interacting with visitors, engaging audiences, and boosting cultural ties among organizers and attendees from around the globe.
The event also features seven seminars covering topics such as language, calligraphy, Arabic literature, artificial intelligence, education and fine arts, intangible cultural heritage, and world heritage. The seminars attracted academic institutions, experts, and specialists from the fields of education, culture, and science, aiming to reach ambitious ideas based on deep research rooted in Arab experiences tied to centuries-long heritage, civilization, and history.

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UN Rights Office Warns of Israel’s Threat to Baalbek, Other Archaeological Sites in Lebanon

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an area on the outskirts of the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek in the Bekaa valley on October 31, 2024. (AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an area on the outskirts of the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek in the Bekaa valley on October 31, 2024. (AFP)
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UN Rights Office Warns of Israel’s Threat to Baalbek, Other Archaeological Sites in Lebanon

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an area on the outskirts of the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek in the Bekaa valley on October 31, 2024. (AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an area on the outskirts of the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek in the Bekaa valley on October 31, 2024. (AFP)

The UN Human Rights Office on Friday expressed alarm over “the continuing grave impact” of Israeli military operations on civilians and civilian targets in Lebanon, including the destruction of places of worship and risks posed to invaluable archaeological sites.

The office said that since Israel’s air force ordered the northeastern Lebanese city of Baalbek evacuated, airstrike that followed have “come perilously close” to the ancient Roman-era temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Destruction of cultural heritage “depletes the historical and cultural identity of the communities it represents,” it said.

The sites destroyed or severely damaged so far include mosques in the southern villages of Yaroun, Maroun el-Ras, Blida, and Kfar Tibnit, OHCHR said, adding that a Melkite Greek Catholic church in the port city of Tyre was also damaged in early October.

Civilian objects, buildings dedicated to religion and other sites of cultural significance are protected from attack under international humanitarian law unless they become military objectives, the office said.

It stressed that should the sites lose their protection, any attacks upon them must still comply with the principles of proportionality and precaution, and that all parties to the conflict should take special care to avoid damage to buildings dedicated to religion or other sites of cultural or historical significance.