This Charte, comprising 29 articles, aims at (i) preserving the cultural and architectural identity of the built heritage properties of the Member States; (ii) undertaking studies of heritage to utilize it in affirming the local architectural identity and strengthening sustainable economic development initiatives; (iii) calling for the development of laws and regulations and the enactment of modern legislation to protect, develop, and preserve Gulf heritage; (iv) integrating the preservation of architectural heritage into national development policies; (v) harmonizing approaches to dealing with architectural heritage in terms of concepts, laws and regulations, and implementation mechanisms, while taking into account the characteristics of the different systems of the Member States and their common elements, so that the Charter establishes the common standards around which policies for dealing with architectural heritage can be developed; (vi) supporting the preservation of the national cultural characteristics of the Member States; (vii) establishing and supporting training centers at the national and Member State levels for the protection of Gulf architectural heritage, and encouraging scientific research in this field; (viii) supporting cooperation among the Member States, as well as cooperation with the international community, in the field of architectural heritage; (ix) supporting cooperation between the Member States and specialized Arab, Islamic, and international institutions concerned with architectural heritage. Article 3 establishes a national register for documenting and protecting urban heritage, classifying sites into three levels - high, medium, and lower value - with corresponding degrees of government, private-sector, and community protection, while Article 4 requires States to establish an institutional and legal framework for the protection and development of urban heritage, including safeguards for heritage buildings, areas, and sites, incentives for their preservation, regulations governing permits and alterations, monitoring and enforcement measures, requirements for private owners to maintain protected heritage, and provisions for expropriation where protection cannot otherwise be ensured. Member States should (i) provide available public funding and fee support for urban heritage protection and restoration; (ii) encourage private-sector initiatives for its conservation and maintenance; (iii) promote investment in urban heritage sites; (iv) raise community awareness regarding the importance of architectural heritage as a component of Gulf cultural heritage and an element of Arab and Islamic identity; (v) encourage training in the various trades that contribute to the preservation and development of architectural heritage; (vi) build human capacities through training courses and study programs to teach the fundamentals and concepts of architectural heritage and methods of preserving it. The provided main policy directions are to integrate heritage protection into urban planning, implement comprehensive conservation and adaptive reuse programmes, strengthen disaster and risk preparedness, promote traditional techniques and materials, regulate demolition, protect sites from natural and human-made risks, and establish conservation plans defining intervention levels and management approaches. The General Secretariat of the Council is establishing an electronic database for the Gulf architectural heritage register, encompassing buildings and architectural heritage sites classified according to criteria agreed upon by the Member States.
2023-01-01