JERUSALEM, July 3, 2013 (WAFA) – The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) signed on Tuesday a €2.4 million agreement with Al-Quds University aimed at the preservation of Palestinian cultural heritage in Jerusalem’s Old City, an EU press release said.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Michael Köhler, director for Neighborhood at the European Commission's DG DEVCO, and UNDP’s Special Representative Frode Mauring.
The ceremony also included the signing of a cooperation
agreement between UNDP and Al Quds University Center to conduct historical
research and organize workshops in relation to the targeted historical sites.
“The program will contribute to the development and protection of Palestinian cultural heritage in the old city of Jerusalem, in addition to the improvement of socioeconomic conditions of its citizens through quality housing and tourism services,” said the press release.
The program activities will include the rehabilitation and
revitalization of Hammam al-Ayn and Hammam al-Shifa, al-Madrasa al-Kilaniyya
and related housing units, and the development of a business management plan
and training on the maintenance and management of rehabilitated sites.
“This is an ambitious project, with numerous stakeholders,
and we praise UNDP's coordination work that allows us to be here today,” said
the EU Representative John Gatt-Rutter. “Once completed, the project will
unravel huge potential for the population of the Old City in terms of heritage
preservation but also job creation and touristic growth.”
Huda Imam, general director of Al Quds University Center, welcomed the guests and expressed her appreciation to the EU and UNDP for taking this initiative forward.
“This program is very important for Jerusalem. It will
revitalize the city and create awareness for the community on the importance of
cultural heritage and the preservation of our identity,” she said.
Local capacities in conservation, rehabilitation and
management of historic buildings and sites will also be enhanced through the
program. Short and medium term job opportunities will also be generated for
young professionals in the fields of restoration, tourism and cultural
management.
“The occupied Palestinian Territory is rich in cultural
heritage. UNDP and its partners will spare no effort to preserve and protect
this treasure,” said Mauring. “The program will have a long term impact that
will benefit different segments of the society by providing job opportunities
and sustainable income for local professionals,” he added.
Since 1997, UNDP’s Program of Assistance to the Palestinian People supported the tourism and culture sectors in the occupied Palestinian Territory through the restoration and rehabilitation of cultural heritage sites and improvement of touristic areas and networks.
UNDP is currently partnering with the Ministry of Tourism and
Antiquities through a $34 million program aimed at rehabilitating public
infrastructure for culture and tourism. The program encompasses seven
components, including development of site museums, water springs, and cultural
landscape, with special emphasis on East Jerusalem, Gaza and Area C.
Through the work of civil society, and in coordination with the office of the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the EU supports actions in East Jerusalem in the fields of health and social welfare, housing, urban planning, legal aid, education, and economic development - including the promotion of the tourism and cultural sectors. Special attention is placed on youth, women and the disabled.
M.S.
