Abu Dhabi, UAE – 1 May 2025: As part of its ongoing efforts to promote cultural education and enhance heritage protection, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced the launch of the International Forum on Cultural Heritage & Knowledge Development: Fostering a Culture of Integrated Protection. The event, organised in collaboration with UNESCO and with the participation of international organisations including UNIDROIT, ICOM, ICOMOS, ICCROM, World Customs Organization, UNODC, ALIPH, Antiquities Coalition, and ICESCO, will take place in Abu Dhabi on 1 and 2 May 2025.
The event will bring together a distinguished group of policymakers, academics, educators, cultural heritage experts, legal professionals, and technology specialists to explore the intersections of culture, knowledge, and heritage preservation. Discussions will highlight the social, economic, and historical value of cultural heritage in sustainable development, while also exploring innovative approaches to supporting educational systems and creative industries, and the use of technology in regional and global heritage protection efforts.
His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “Organising the International Forum on Cultural Heritage & Knowledge Development in Abu Dhabi is a pivotal milestone in our journey to enhance cultural education and ensure continued efforts in heritage protection. We firmly believe that culture and knowledge form the foundation for preserving and sustaining cultural heritage. Through a strong collaboration with UNESCO and other organisations, DCT Abu Dhabi’s integrated efforts in the UAE and abroad continue to lead initiatives that empower current and future generations to understand and cherish their cultural heritage as a key driver of sustainable development. We remain dedicated to driving cultural education strategies and pioneering initiatives which facilitate knowledge exchange and strengthen cultural identity. These efforts are anchored in international, regional and national collaboration, ensuring that cultural heritage remains an integral part of our future.”
This forum is a response to the recommendations of UNESCO’s World Conference on Culture and Arts Education, hosted in Abu Dhabi in February 2024. The conference gathered Ministers of Culture and Education from around the world to finalise the UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education, which was initiated in March 2021 by UNESCO Member States, endorsing the final version of the UNESCO Framework to support Member States and Associated States in its implementation.
DCT Abu Dhabi is committed to championing the protection of cultural heritage, recognising its vital role in fostering creativity, identity, and sustainable development. Through education and awareness, it reaffirms its efforts in empowering communities to actively participate in the preservation and promotion of their cultural legacy, ensuring its enduring value and relevance in an ever-changing world.
By implementing the UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education while focusing on Cultural Heritage Protection that is based on UNESCO’s International Culture Conventions, DCT Abu Dhabi is committed to identify the crucial role of cultural heritage as an integral part of culture at large that is directly related to contemporary human creativity. The core objective of the forum will be to explore the role and importance of cultural heritage as a tool for culture education. This interdisciplinary approach will enable the appreciation of cultural heritage by understanding its historical, social, and economic value, empowering the public to become active participants in its safeguarding. By finding synergies between culture education and in-depth studies of heritage protection, such as risk management and fighting illicit trade in antiquities, DCT Abu Dhabi is creating a more holistic and impactful approach to cultural preservation, ensuring its transmission and continued relevance for generations to come.
The forum will welcome more than 25 international experts and participating entities such as UNESCO, UNESCO National Commission of UAE, DCT Abu Dhabi officials, professionals and experts in Collections and Archaeological Finds, museum professionals, International Council of Museums (ICOM), Archaeological Site Managers, ICOMOS, ALIPH, Customs Officers & WCO, art dealers, INTERPOL National Committee, Heritage Protection Police and/or Guards, university professors and students, International Antiquities Coalition, and Civil Society representatives (NGOs involved in heritage protection).
The intensive programme of the forum is divided into seven sessions, including Opening and Closing Sessions. The following topics will be covered across the event’s two days:
- The UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education (UFCAE) and its Implementation
- Digital Transformation in Culture and Arts Education
- Strengthening Policy, Governance, Cooperation and Legal Frameworks for Heritage Protection
- Cultural Heritage in Crisis and Danger – Strategies for Protection and Recovery
- The Future of Cultural Heritage – Community Development
The forum will be followed by five education modules, each dedicated to the UNESCO Conventions and related legal instruments, organised in May, June, and September 2025.
