Bethlehem – Ma’an – Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Hani Al-Hayek received the Director of the UNESCO Office in Palestine, Lily Naistani Hailu, in her first visit after assuming the position. The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Bethlehem.
This meeting came after UNESCO adopted three resolutions on Palestine and its sites added to the World Heritage List, condemning the practices of the Israeli occupation authorities against these sites. Palestine’s request to include the Saint Hilarion site on the World Heritage List for protection is currently being studied during the UNESCO General Assembly held in India.
Al-Hayek thanked UNESCO for their work and continuous cooperation with the State of Palestine, stressing the importance of including the Saint Hilarion site on the World Heritage List, which will contribute to protecting it from Israeli aggression.
Minister Hayek and the UNESCO Director General discussed a number of projects that will contribute t
o supporting the preservation of cultural heritage in Palestine, including the Novel Museum, located below the Peace Center and opposite the Church of the Nativity.
After the meeting, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Hani Al-Hayek, UNESCO Director-General Lily Naistani Hailu, Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman, Norway’s representative Torne Veste, and a number of Bethlehem Municipality members visited the Novel Museum, where they received the keys to the museum after the completion of its first phase. The Novel Museum, which is located below the Peace Center and opposite the Church of the Nativity, is the face of Bethlehem for tourists coming to visit the Church of the Nativity. Through this museum, tourists will learn all the necessary information about the heritage, antiquities, and history of Bethlehem.
Al-Haik stressed the importance of this museum in telling the true historical story about Palestine and its people to tourists and visitors, extending his thanks to UNESCO and the Kingdom of Norway for their
true support for the cultural heritage in Palestine, which was translated on the ground through many joint projects between the two parties and now the completion of the Narrative Museum project.
Al-Haik spoke about the importance of the museum sector in Palestine, which plays a central role in preserving cultural heritage and collective memory, as cultural heritage plays an important role in building cultural identity, as cultural heritage represents the nation’s history and identity, and will contribute to establishing the national identity and working to transmit it across generations in different ways.
Minister Hayek stressed the importance of the Narrative Museum, which is located below the Peace Center and opposite the Church of the Nativity, and which will be the face of Bethlehem for tourists coming to visit the Church of the Nativity. Through this museum, tourists will learn all the necessary information about the heritage, antiquities and history of Bethlehem.
In turn, Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salma
n stressed the importance of the project, which will contribute to providing tourists coming to visit Bethlehem with historical information about Palestine in general and about Bethlehem in particular, which will contribute to spreading the true Palestinian narrative about Palestine and its people to various countries around the world.
Director of the UNESCO Office in Palestine, Lily Naistani Hailu, stressed the importance of the project, which was a dream that came true through the joint efforts of everyone, stressing the continuation of support and cooperation with the Palestinian side to preserve the cultural heritage.
The Norwegian representative thanked all parties and companies, stressing Norway’s permanent readiness to continue supporting this vital and important project.
Source: Maan News Agency