Exhibition marks World Museums Day

posted on 15/05/2011: 81 views

The theme of the International Museums Day this year is how important museums are in the development of society.

The Sharjah Museums Department is organising activities at its 17 museums until May 26.

The first activity, an exhibition titled "Looting and smuggling antiquities: Risk and methods of control" will be held in collaboration with the Sharjah Archaeology Museum at Bait Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamed Al Qasimi Monday.

Manal Ataya, Director-General of the Department, said: "International Museums Day has been celebrated worldwide since it was first established by the International Council of Museums in 1977. Every year the Council selects a theme which inspires museums around the world to participate and make relevant to their own collections and communities."

Sheikh Haitham Al Qasimi, Deputy Head of the Ruler's Office in Kalba, will inaugurate an exhibition for artefacts seized by Sharjah Customs, as well as other artefacts that were offered for sale in Europe and brought back to the museum thanks to the follow up of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

The gallery opening will be followed by lectures delivered by representatives from the Sharjah Archaeological Museums, Sharjah Police and the Sharjah Department of Archaeology.

Lectures on the illicit antiquities trade will also be delivered. The first lecture entitled "The role of international police in protecting cultural heritage" will be delivered by Colonel Mohammad Byat, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department at Sharjah Police, while the second will be delivered by Eisa Abbas, Archaeological Sites Officer in Sharjah.

Cultural awareness

Ataya stressed that the ultimate goal of this event is to spread cultural awareness and to convey the message that antiquities looting is a serious threat to our universal duty to protect our world heritage that we all share.

"We condemn any illegal antiquities trading in the emirate of Sharjah and the UAE, and our aim is to spread public awareness regarding the risk of antiquities looting and trafficking, and to urge members of society to take an active role in stopping this," she said.

Events

• May 16: Looting and smuggling antiquities (Bait Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamed Al Qasimi)

• May 18: Memories: Echo of the year (Sharjah Discovery Centre)

• May 20: Evolution of Photography (Science Museum)

• May 22 to 26: Photo gallery and lecture on Islamic schools (Calligraphy Museum)

For more information log on to: http://www.sharjahmuseums.ae. - Gulf News

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