The UAE has pledged a $20 million (Dh73.56 million) donation to the International Alliance for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Conflict Zones (ALIPH).
At the second ALIPH donors’ conference, held at the Louver Museum in Paris, the promise was made. The meeting was launched with a videoconferenced address by French President Emmanuel Macron, who was addressed by Noura Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of Culture and Youth. Mohamed Al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) and vice-chair of the ALIPH Foundation board of directors, also participated electronically in the event.
The UAE is a founding member of this remarkable effort, which funds the repair and rehabilitation of humanity’s heritage places in conflict zones across the world. “We are quite happy of ALIPH’s accomplishments thus far and expect to see even more international support in this regard,” Al Kaabi remarked.
“We are dedicated to preserving and maintaining both tangible and intangible history.” Our great leaders have taught us to be proud of our history and roots while also encouraging us to appreciate other cultures. Staying linked to our roots, we feel, is the first step toward forging a great future. In order to develop a better society, we also believe in protecting legacy for future generations.
At a conference in Abu Dhabi in December 2016, the concept for a fund to restore, reconstruct, and rehabilitate the heritage of war-torn places germinated. Following that, in March 2017, ALIPH was founded on the initiative of the UAE and France, with the backing of UNESCO. Several more countries and private partners have already joined the programme, helping to fund nearly 150 projects in 30 countries. The UAE, France, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Luxembourg, China, and Morocco were among the seven donor countries at the time of its inauguration, as were three private donors: Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, the Foundation Gandur pour l’Art, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.