Al Zubarah Archaeological Site to Open for Public

Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) has announced that it will open Al Zubarah Archaeological site permanently to the public after the official launch, calling on the public to visit the site in order to know more about this historic landmark.

QMA said in a statement today that the inclusion of Al Zubarah Archaeological site within the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites, which was made during the 37th meeting of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) is the first of its kind recognition to list a Qatari archaeological site in an international registry, which currently includes 911 natural and cultural sites.

The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO includes representatives of 21 countries, and its members are to be appointed by the General Assembly of the Committee for four years, and members have the power to vote on the inclusion of cultural or natural sites, which are raised by another Member State of UNESCO, the statement noted.

The statement added that to celebrate this international recognition, QMA will organize an official launching of the site on December 12, to be attended by senior officials and ambassadors accredited to the State.

Qatar will host the 38th the World Heritage Committee session in Doha in June 2014, it said.

Al Zubarah Archaeological Site, one of the largest and best-preserved examples of an 18th-19th century traditional pearl fishing and merchant town in the Gulf, is situated about 100 km north-west of Doha.

Founded in the mid-18th century, the town developed into a centre of the pearling and international trade and rose to become the countrys largest and most important settlement. It was abandoned by the mid-20th century.

Al Zubarah Archaeological Site covers an area of 60 hectares with remains of houses, mosques, large fortified buildings and a market. (QNA)

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