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‘Arab Palm’ Looks for Place on UNESCO World Heritage List

United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris. (AFP)
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris. (AFP)
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‘Arab Palm’ Looks for Place on UNESCO World Heritage List

United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris. (AFP)
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris. (AFP)

Meetings kicked off on Saturday in Luxor in the Upper Egypt governorate to finalize the technical procedures needed to submit a request for listing “the Arab palm” on UNESCO’S World Heritage List.

Held under the patronage of the Arab League Educational Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALESCO), the meetings will run over three days with the attendance of 16 Arab countries to discuss a work paper on “The Palm…Traditions, Rituals and Legacies”.

Egyptian Minister of Culture Helmy al-Namnam said at the opening ceremony that these discussions come at a time where the Arab nation faces huge risks that threaten its national and cultural identity, such as globalization and the ISIS terrorist organization.

Namnam pointed out that the palm is part of Arab heritage and it should be protected from those seeking sedition and chaos, adding that globalization, which was manifested in US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, is based on erasing cultural identities.

Director of the Heritage Protection Program at ALECSO, Dr. Hayat Qatat Al-Qurmazi warned of the disappearance of the Arab nation’s cultural identity.

She noted that the meeting in Luxor, which is the 2017 capital of Arab culture, was aimed at implementing the recommendations agreed upon during the 2015 Riyadh meeting concerning listing the palm on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Qurmazi pointed out that the Arab world is facing serious challenges, such as attempts to erase its identity, however, “efforts are ongoing to maximize common interests among Arabs and to unify efforts to protect our culture and heritage.”

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Japan’s Chief Meteorologist Calls Rumors of a July Earthquake a Hoax, Urges People Not to Worry

People watch a 3D video advertisement display with a giant cat's graphics installed in the famed Shinjuku shopping district Friday, June 13, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP)
People watch a 3D video advertisement display with a giant cat's graphics installed in the famed Shinjuku shopping district Friday, June 13, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP)
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Japan’s Chief Meteorologist Calls Rumors of a July Earthquake a Hoax, Urges People Not to Worry

People watch a 3D video advertisement display with a giant cat's graphics installed in the famed Shinjuku shopping district Friday, June 13, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP)
People watch a 3D video advertisement display with a giant cat's graphics installed in the famed Shinjuku shopping district Friday, June 13, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP)

The head of Japan's meteorological agency on Friday dismissed widespread rumors of a major earthquake in Japan this summer as unscientific and a “hoax," urging people not to worry because even the most advanced science still cannot predict any quake or tsunami.

“At the moment, it is still impossible to predict an earthquake with specific timing, location or its magnitude,” Japan Meteorological Agency Director General Ryoichi Nomura told reporters. “Any such prediction is a hoax, and there is absolutely no need to worry about such disinformation."

Nomura was referring to rumors in Hong Kong and other Asian cities of a major earthquake or a tsunami in July in Japan have led to flight cancellations and reductions in service, affecting tourism.

He said it was “unfortunate” that many people are affected by the disinformation, though he sympathized with the sense of unease that the people tend to develop toward something invisible.

The rumor originates from a 2022 Japanese comic book “The future I saw,” which features a dream foreseeing a tsunami and is also available in Chinese. The chatter began spreading earlier this year through social media, mainly in Hong Kong.

The author previously gained attention for allegedly predicting the 2011 quake and tsunami in northern Japan, which killed more than 18,000 people.

Japan, which sits on the Pacific “ring of fire,” is one of the world's most quake-prone countries.

Last summer, a panel of seismologists noted a slight increase in the probability of a megaquake on Japan’s Pacific coasts. The government organized an awareness-raising week but only triggered panic buying, beach closures and other overreactions and complaints.

While it is important to inform people about the science, Nomura said, it is also necessary for everyone in this quake-prone country to take early precautions.

“In Japan, an earthquake can occur anytime, anywhere,” Nomura said. “So I ask everyone to take this opportunity to ensure your preparedness for a major quake.”