MANAMA: Kuwait is continuing its efforts to place Failaka Island on the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list, a cultural official said Sunday.
Mohammad bin Redha, with Kuwait’s National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), described Failaka as a unique site reflecting “layers of human civilizations spanning more than 4,000 years, from the Bronze Age to Islamic and modern times.”
“We are working with our local and international partners to prepare a comprehensive nomination file for Failaka Island that ensures the preservation of its authenticity and universal value, and highlights it as a bridge between civilizations and a source of sustainable development,” he said during a scientific symposium on archaeological sites in eastern Arabia, hosted by Bahrain’s Authority for Culture and Antiquities.
Failaka, once known as Ikaros, lies about 20 kilometers off Kuwait City in the northwest corner of the Arabian Gulf. Spanning roughly 43 square kilometers, it served as a vital trading hub linking Mesopotamian civilizations with those along the Gulf coast.
In August 2024, NCCAL signed a memorandum of understanding with the World Monuments Fund to support the preparation of Failaka’s UNESCO nomination file.
Kuwait’s participation in the symposium aims “to introduce the island and shed light on the importance of preserving its human and civilizational heritage in preparation for its inclusion on the tentative list of world heritage.”
Representing Kuwait at the symposium were Khuloud Al-Khashram from NCCAL’s Antiquities and Museums Sector, alongside Julie Bonnéric, director of the French archaeological excavation mission on the island. — Agencies
