Doha, October 26 (QNA) - Qatar Museums on Sunday inaugurated the First Arab Youth Forum, in cooperation with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO).

The three-day event brings together officials, experts, and young participants from 22 Arab countries.

The forum aims to empower young people and university students in the Arab world to engage in heritage preservation, promote cultural sustainability, and help shape future strategies for safeguarding Arab heritage. It will conclude with the launch of the Doha Youth Declaration 2025, reflecting the aspirations of a new generation of Arab researchers and calling for stronger cooperation among cultural and academic institutions.

Qatar Museums CEO Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi said the forum marks a strategic step toward raising awareness of sustainable cultural heritage protection. He added that workshops and discussions will enable youth to exchange experiences and develop innovative solutions to current and future challenges.

Al Rumaihi noted that the forum coincides with Qatar Museums' 20th anniversary and its Nation of Culture campaign, reaffirming its commitment to building a vibrant cultural landscape in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.

He added the event would stimulate innovation and creativity among young people, enabling them to become ambassadors for their cultures and work to develop effective strategies for preserving cultural heritage, which is an integral part of our Arab identity.

Meanwhile, ALECSO Director-General Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar highlighted that hosting the forum in Qatar helps establish a lasting tradition of youth engagement in research and innovation across the Arab world.

He stressed the importance of confronting the risks facing cultural heritage — from natural disasters to human activities and neglect — and the need for young people to play a central role in protecting it.

The forum follows last year's ALECSO-organized first forum for young researchers in cultural heritage in the Arab world, with the participation of 17 Arab countries 

Head of International Relations at the International Cooperation Department at QM, Dr. Rashid Ali Malheya, highlighted to QNA that the first Arab Youth Forum was launched by QM, in collaboration with ALECSO, as a youth-centric platform, serving as their voice and reflecting their perspectives through interactive workshops and panel discussions on heritage preservation, the latest experiences, and direct engagement with specialists.

The forum provides a showcase for youth-led projects, initiatives, and research, reflecting QM's success in mobilizing Arab youth from 22 countries for the first time, Malheya noted.

He added that there is a strong commitment to sustaining this initiative, with the forum planned across successive editions. A key outcome is youth participation in drafting the Doha Youth Declaration 2025, which charts a roadmap for their vital role in heritage management, positioning it as a development cornerstone.

Malheya further highlighted that the 27th Conference on Archaeology and Cultural Heritage in the Arab World, scheduled for Tuesday, will dedicate a session to youth initiatives and experiences, ensuring heritage sustainability.

On the first day of the forum, two sessions were held. The first session focused on protection and management of cultural heritage in the Arab world, highlighting the significance of heritage, reviewing archaeological work from the 1950s to the present, discussing Qatari sites’ inclusion in the Arab heritage registry, and exploring UNESCO's role in safeguarding heritage.

The second session focused on development and drafting of the Youth Forum Declaration – Doha 2025, moderated by Dr. Fatema Hassan Al Sulaiti, Director of International Cooperation and Government Affairs at QM.

Speakers discussed heritage in conflict, referencing attempts to erase Syria's living heritage, environmental misinformation in heritage promotion, historical trade relations between Khorfakkan and the Kingdom of Hormuz (1272–1290 AD), and the Great Fort architecture in Al Raida, Yemen.

The forum, "Empowering Arab Youth for Sustainable Heritage", convenes on the margins of the 27th conference under the theme "Sustainability of Cultural Heritage: Challenges and Future Strategies".

The three-day event will be organized by QM in collaboration with ALECSO on Tuesday, with participation from regional and international partners.

The conference is part of broader efforts to strengthen Arab cooperation in heritage preservation and to identify innovative solutions to the challenges facing this vital sector, reflecting Qatar's deep commitment to safeguarding human heritage as a pillar of national and Arab identity.

It aims to spotlight the significance of heritage sustainability amidst environmental, technological, and social transformations, while developing future strategies based on scientific approaches and innovative practices, and enhancing heritage as a source of inspiration, knowledge, and a driver of sustainable development.

The conference focuses on key objectives, including addressing environmental, climatic, and human challenges affecting archaeological and heritage sites, contributing to long-term strategic visions for heritage sustainability, supporting Arab cooperation in heritage safeguarding and knowledge exchange, and ensuring cultural heritage remains a marker of identity and history, serving as a source of inspiration and creativity for current and future generations. (QNA)