Sheikh Sultan hails constructive ties between Unesco and Sharjah

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, received Dr Khaled El Enany, Director-General of Unesco, on Tuesday at Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre in the University City.

The meeting was attended by Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority and Unesco, Goodwill Ambassador for Education and Book Culture.

During the meeting, Sheikh Sultan welcomed the Director-General of UNESCO, wishing him success in his duties, highlighting Unesco’s global role in supporting education, science and culture programmes and its major efforts in promoting and consolidating diverse projects in these vital sectors, which are related to sustainable and social development.

The Ruler of Sharjah praised the constructive and fruitful cooperation between Unesco and Sharjah across many cultural fields, and the support provided to its programmes through various activities and events.

He also stressed Sharjah’s continuous support for cultural and educational work in the Arab and international arenas, affirming Sharjah’s belief in the role of culture and education in the development of societies and working to consolidate culture, identity and belonging in the new generations.

The meeting addressed many topics related to the activation of joint cultural and scientific projects and initiatives between Unesco and Sharjah, as part of the efforts of the UAE in general and Sharjah in particular in the fields of education and knowledge, the preservation of the world’s cultural and civilisational heritage, and its transmission to future generations, in addition to knowledge communication, cultural understanding and scientific progress as the foundations for building a better future.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Salem Bin Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Culture; Ali Al Haj Al Ali, UAE Representative to Unesco; and several officials.

Recently, Sharjah announced the launch of the Faya Research Grant, a major scientific initiative to advance global understanding of deep-time human history and environmental change through research at the Faya Palaeolandscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Property of Outstanding Universal Value.

The announcement was made by Sheikha Bodour, Ambassador for the Faya World Heritage Property, during the official ceremony marking Faya’s inscription on the Unesco World Heritage List.

The ceremony marked a historic milestone recognising decades of archaeological and scientific research that have reshaped global understanding of early human occupation in Arabia.

Administered by the Sharjah Archaeology Authority (SAA) in coordination with the Faya World Heritage Property Scientific Committee, the Faya Research Grant will run from 2026 to 2028, with a total investment of Dhs2 million.

The programme supports high-impact, independent research that strengthens the scientific foundations of Faya’s Outstanding Universal Value and positions Sharjah as a global hub for heritage science, prehistoric research, and knowledge production.

“The inscription of the Faya Palaeolandscape on the Unesco World Heritage List was not an endpoint but a responsibility,” said Sheikha Bodour.

“Through the Faya Research Grant, Sharjah is making a deliberate investment in scientific inquiry — in rigorous research, international collaboration, and the next generation of researchers. Faya continues to expand what we know about early human migration, adaptation, and innovation, and this programme ensures that its contribution to global knowledge remains active, credible, and enduring.”

Eisa Yousif, Director-General of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority (SAA), noted, “The launch of the Faya Research Grant provides a clear operational framework for advancing scientific research at the site over the coming years. By combining multi-year funding with logistical and institutional support, the programme creates the conditions for rigorous fieldwork, analytical depth, and high-quality scholarly outputs.”

“It also enables us to align research activity directly with the long-term management and scientific priorities of the Faya World Heritage Property, while ensuring that new knowledge continues to inform both international scholarship and local capacity building.”

WAM