The Regional Forum on the Protection of Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage in Arab Countries
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The Bibliotheca Alexandrina organized the Regional Forum on the Protection of Marine and Underwater Cultural Heritage in Arab Countries, in the presence of Dr. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina; Dr. Hameed Al-Nofli, Director of the Culture Department at the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO); Dr. Emad Khalil, the UNESCO Chair on Underwater Cultural Heritage at Alexandria University; Dr. Somaya El-Sayed, Assistant Secretary-General of the Egyptian National Committee for Education, Science and Culture; and a number of experts and specialists from 11 Arab countries.
Dr. Ahmed Zayed said that the BA seeks to promote culture in the Arab region, pointing out that the Library is not only a place for reading, but also a major cultural institution.
He also highlighted the importance of the BA cultural documentation process, stressing that it spares no effort to preserve underwater cultural heritage in the Mediterranean.
For his part, Dr. Hameed Al-Nofli said that the forum combines hope, creativity, and a spirit of challenge to preserve submerged heritage.
Dr. Somaya El-Sayed mentioned that nearly 200 submerged cities have been discovered around the world, adding that there are thousands of cities that have not yet been discovered.
In addition, Dr. Emad Khalil outlined the definition of submerged antiquities that has been issued by the UNESCO, pointing out that the organization allowed countries to delineate areas that they consider hold heritage value for submerged regions.