World Heritage Sites in Egypt, as well as other heritage sites protected nationally (and that are sometimes also on Egypt’s tentative list), face several challenges to their conservation and management. Qualified site managers are greatly needed to deliver effective management systems.

The Ministry of State for Antiquities, which is responsible for all matters of protection, promotion and management of cultural heritage in Egypt, has a high number of young, energetic and experienced inspectors working on heritage sites. Many of them are specialized in specific fields, such as conservation and archaeology, but they are not always aware of the World Heritage Convention and the importance of managing a site, with wider stakeholder anticipation, for the long-term protection of its Outstanding Universal Value.

Therefore, the Ministry requested the UNESCO Cairo office to assist in preparing, funding and conducting a course on World Heritage for a number of employees working on cultural heritage sites all over Egypt. The course, which started in May and will end in December, contains four modules:

1.    The 1972 World Heritage Convention;

2.    Site Management of World Heritage Property and the Reporting on the State of Conservation;

3.    Analysis and Revision of Egypt’s Tentative List;

4.    Introduction to the Nomination File Template.

The duration of each module is one week. The whole capacity building course is designed to provide participants with the initial tools to expand their knowledge and competences. It is hoped that they will commit to further develop their skills outside the course and share their knowledge with colleagues and other stakeholders.

Material on heritage conservation and management is widely available and easily accessible on the internet. Therefore, from the outset, participants were encouraged to start using the available information to optimize the course’s relevance towards their needs.

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