Vice Consul General of China Applauds the Efforts of Sharjah Institute of Heritage in Hosting Chinese Heritage Week

On 15 March 2017, the Sharjah Institute of Heritage (SIH) commenced Chinese Heritage Week at Albait Al Gharbi, Cultural Heritage Events Center. The event is part of SIH’s series of World Heritage Weeks, which aims to bring different cultures of the world to the people of Sharjah. The exhibition will take place from 15 to 19 March from 5 to 10 P.M.

In recent news, China has managed to register 48 unique locations in the UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. The success of China’s ranking is second only to Italy, which registered a total of 49 sites. This incredible ranking shows the depth of China’s culture, tradition and heritage.

Through China’s participation in the World Heritage Weeks, SIH wishes to share China’s heritage with the people of Sharjah in order to inform and educate others about the richness of Chinese culture. The events, activities, seminars and galleries from China are targeted at showcasing Chinese culture and promoting Chinese heritage. This encouraged interaction between Emiratis and the Chinese culture.

Wang Zhen Shan, Vice Consul General of The People’s Republic of China, attended the opening ceremony. He comments: “We are proud to be part of Sharjah’s efforts to promote and showcase Chinese heritage in the UAE. This international effort is greatly appreciated; SIH’s World Heritage Weeks is a good platform to network and share unique traits of the Chinese culture with others from around the world.”

He added: “The large public attendance and participation is heartening and we look forward to stronger cultural ties and sharing of knowledge between the UAE and The Republic of China.”

Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, comments: “We are happy to see the different facets of Chinese culture in Sharjah. The Chinese are experts in turning heritage sites into tourist hubs – a skill that is integral in today’s economy. Sharing of culture and knowledge is also part of the vision of the His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, who has always extended his unlimited support for cultural exchange and to the Sharjah Institute for Heritage.”

The World Heritage Weeks are part of SIH’s efforts to introduce world heritage to the Sharjah community and display the institute’s openness towards Arab and international exchanges in this field. The monthly heritage event targets school and university students, government employees, artists, intellectuals, heritage enthusiasts, Arab and non-Arab tourists and the regular visitors of the heritage and art districts in the Heart of Sharjah.