Qatar was elected to join the 20 other nations that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Led by the Qatar Museums Authority, Qatar presented several of its prominent heritage sites and cultural institutions during its candidature for the seat. Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson of the Qatar Museums Authority, said Qatar looks forward to using its 4-year membership to promote Qatari heritage sites internationally. Sheikh Hassan Bin Mohammad Al Thani, Vice Chairman of the Qatar Museums Authority, said Qatar's election reflects its rising role in international organizations and that Qatar will work to educate, promote and conserve heritage sites worldwide during its membership. Sheikh Hassan will represent Qatar in

1. PRESS RELEASE
Qatar elected for seat on UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee
Paris, 16 November 2011 – Qatar has won a seat to join 20 other nations that form the World
Heritage Committee at UNESCO following election results that took place at the 18th General
Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention. Led by Qatar Museums Authority
(QMA) and in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Qatar’s permanent
delegation at UNESCO, the candidature effort was announced last June during a presentation at
UNESCO of Qatar’s most prominent heritage sites and cultural institutions including: Zubara
Fort, Barzan Tower, Souq Waif, Katara, Museum of Islamic Art, Mathaf: Arab Museum of
Modern Art as well as the future National Museum of Qatar.
Commenting on the importance of this achievement for Qatar, Her Excellency Sheikha Al
Mayassa Bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums Authority stated: “We are proud
of this historical accomplishment for Qatar, which enables us to join other member states in
conserving world heritage sites. We look forward to an active 4-year membership on UNESCO’s
World Heritage Committee which we will use as a platform to promote heritage and cultural
sites in Qatar to international audiences.”
His Excellency Sheikh Hassan Bin Mohammad Al Thani, Vice Chairman of Qatar Museums
Authority said: “Our membership at UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee reflects the rising role
of Qatar in international organizations and we are proud to have gained the trust of the
member states at UNESCO. Over the next four years, we will cooperate with the World Heritage
Committee member states to educate, promote and conserve heritage sites from all over the
world.”
His Excellency Sheikh Hassan Bin Mohammad Al Thani, Vice Chairman of Qatar Museums
Authority will represent Qatar in the future meetings of the World Heritage Committee for the
next four years. Since the mid-1980s HE Sheikh Hassan Al Thani has developed a serious
relationship with appreciating and collecting fine art. Over the years, he became the founder
and visionary for several collections and institutions currently under the management of QMA

2. such as Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art. In addition to his role at QMA, HE Sheikh Hassan
Al Thani is the Advisor of Cultural Affairs at Qatar Foundation and the General Supervisor of
Documents and Research Department at the Qatari Amiri Diwan.
QMA has spearheaded efforts to promote Qatar’s bid to obtain a seat on UNESCO’s World
Heritage Committee which meets once a year to discuss the state of conservation of sites
inscribed on the World Heritage List and to add new sites to the List. It is made up of 21
member states: Algeria, Cambodia, Colombia, Estonia, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Iraq,
Japan, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Switzerland,
Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.
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For further information contact Omar Chaikhouni, Public Relations Manager at Qatar Museums
Authority at +97444224608
About Qatar Museums Authority
Established in 2005 by His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani to
combine the resources of all museums in the State of Qatar, Qatar Museums Authority
(QMA) is a governmental organization whose remit is to develop museums and cultural
institutions and provide an effective system for collecting, protecting, preserving and
interpreting historic sites, monuments and artifacts. Under the leadership of its
Chairperson H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa, QMA is transforming the State of Qatar into a
cultural hub of the Middle East. The Museum of Islamic Art, inaugurated in 2008, is the
Authority’s flagship project. The organization won further global acclaim with the
December 2010 opening of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art. QMA’s goal of
becoming a “global leader in the world of museums, art and heritage” will be advanced
in the coming years with ambitious, world-class projects, including the Jean Nouvel-
designed National Museum of Qatar. For further information, please visit
www.qma.org.qa.