New Delhi: In a significant diplomatic development, a high-level Palestinian delegation will participate at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee, (UNESCO) in New Delhi and demand inclusion of Tell Umm Amer site, the monastery of St Hilarwin in the Gaza Strip on the list of 'World Heritage in Danger', the Embassy of Palestine in New Delhi said here on Friday
The 46th Intergovernmental Committee for the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage under UNESCO will be held at the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition and Convention Center (IECC) on July 31.
The media advisor of the Palestine embassy, Dr. Abu Jazer said in a statement that the Palestinian delegation will include the Ambassador of Palestine to UNESCO Monir Anastas, Ambassador of Palestine to India Adnan Abu Al-hayjaa, Dr. Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, political and media counsellor, Ahmed Rajoub, Director General of heritage at the Palestinian Ministry of tourism and Hanan Najjajrah from Ministry of tourism in Ramallah.
On the Palestinian request, Dr. Abu said that Palestine will work and request with 21 member states of the World Heritage Committee, UNESCO to support the inclusion of Tell Umm Amer site on the list of World Heritage in Danger.
He further confirmed that Palestine asked India, a member of the World Heritage Committee and the host country of the 46th session, to support the Palestinian request, stressing that India promised to provide support to the Palestinian step.
According to UNESCO, the first settlement in the site Tell Umm Amer was established during the Roman era on Wadi Gaza close to the seashore. It appears on the Maraca map with the name of Tabatha, dated from the Byzantine to the early Islamic period (400-670AD).
The site contains the ruins of the monastery of Saint Hilarion (born in 291 AD), consisting two churches, a burial site, a baptism hall, a public cemetery, an audience hall, and dining rooms.
The monastery was provided with good infrastructure facilities, including water cisterns, clay-ovens and drainage channels. Its floors were partially paved with limestone, marble tiles and colored mosaics, decorated with plants and animal's scenes. A great fifth century mosaic was probably laid on the floor of a chapel. The floors include a Greek inscription decorated with circular motifs. In addition, the monastery was equipped with baths, consisting of Frigedarium, Tepidarium and Caldarium halls.
The wide space of these halls ensured that the baths could adequately serve the pilgrims and merchants crossing the Holy land from Egypt to the Fertile Crescent through the main route of Via Maris.
Tell Umm Amer (Tabatha) was the birthplace of Saint Hilarion, who had received a splendid education in Alexandria, and had gone to Antonius in the desert for further instruction. He founded his eponymous monastery in the third century, and is considered as the founder of monastic life in Palestine. The monastery was destroyed in 614 AD.
India's support
Dr. Abu Jazer pointed out in the statement that India's support for the inclusion of this site will be highly appreciated as it demonstrates India's efforts in enhancing the Palestinians ' capabilities in protecting important heritage and historical sites.
The State of Palestine seeks, by registering the site, to provide protection for heritage sites in Palestine that are being targeted and systematically destroyed by the Israeli occupation forces, specifically in its brutal war in the Gaza Strip, which affected all cultural buildings and archaeological sites, and to provide urgent and long-term measures to preserve the site, in addition to emphasising the importance of preserving the main features of its outstanding universal value from continuous war threats.
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