OSLO, December 8, 2011 (WAFA) – Norway contributed NOK 7.1 million (around $1.2 million) Thursday to support the UNESCO project of the Center for Restoration of Islamic Manuscripts of the Haram Al Sharif in Jerusalem, according to a UNESCO statement.

The statement said the project will contribute to the preservation of Islamic cultural heritage to foster intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace.

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said that “this is a renewed occasion to thank Norway, a strong supporter of UNESCO, of multilateralism and of the United Nations.”

She said, “This project attests to UNESCO’s important support to the preservation of many manuscripts which constitute the memory of humanity.”

Norwegian Ambassador to UNESCO, Tore Eriksen, stressed the difficult conditions in which the Palestinians work very hard to protect their heritage.

He said Norway “supports the sustainability of the Center for Restoration of Islamic Manuscripts of the Haram Al-Sharif in Jerusalem, which is a landmark initiative in this sense.”

Erksen also added that Norway supports the two-state solution, in which Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace, with secure and recognized borders.

M.H./F.J.