UAE key partner in heritage protection: UNESCO Chief

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has highlighted the UAE’s pivotal role in international cultural cooperation, describing it as a key partner in heritage preservation and post-crisis reconstruction efforts.

Speaking at the World Governments Summit 2025 (WGS) in Dubai, Azoulay underscored the significance of global collaboration in education, culture, and science. She pointed to the Revive the Spirit of Mosul campaign, launched in 2018, as a prime example of how heritage restoration can drive recovery, noting that the UAE was the primary financial supporter of the project.

The initiative has restored major historical sites in Mosul, including the Al-Nouri Mosque and its Al-Hadba Minaret, the Convent of our Lady of the Hour and Al-Tahera Church, Al-Aghawat Mosque, as well as Al-Ekhlass school in the Old City.

By the end of 2024, 124 heritage houses had been rehabilitated, allowing displaced families to return, Azoulay added.

She recently visited Mosul and described how its historic centre is once again vibrant, proving that heritage restoration can play a key role in rebuilding communities.

Beyond heritage, Azoulay praised the UAE’s active role in global cultural cooperation, both within the UN and the G20, calling it a key UNESCO partner.

She noted that collaboration extends to fields like vocational education and the arts, citing Abu Dhabi’s hosting of an international conference on technical education last year as proof of the country’s commitment to integrating arts into sustainable development.

Looking ahead, she announced that Abu Dhabi will host UNESCO’s International Jazz Day on April 30, 2025. The event will feature cultural activities, exhibitions, and music workshops, engaging students and artists from across the region. A high-level cultural summit will also bring together global leaders to foster dialogue through the arts.