Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities held a high-level meeting with a Chinese delegation in the New Administrative Capital to review the implementation progress of a joint nomination of the Nilometer on Rawda Island in Cairo and the Baiheliang underwater inscriptions in Fuling, China, for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as reported by Sada El-Balad, a partner of TV BRICS.
The meeting followed directives from Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, and continued the strategic cooperation between Egypt and China that began over three years ago. The collaboration has involved a series of bilateral meetings and workshops to develop the necessary documentation for submission to the World Heritage Centre.
During the meeting, Hisham El-Leithy, Head of the Department of Antiquities Registration and Documentation, presented the latest updates on the Nilometer file. He confirmed that the final touches are being added in preparation for official submission later this year, pending the completion of China’s corresponding file.
Gamal Mostafa, Head of the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish Antiquities Sector, detailed the nomination file’s components, including the geographical description of Rawda Island, the archaeological and architectural significance of the Nilometer, its current preservation status, and restoration and visitor management plans. These are being prepared according to UNESCO’s technical criteria.
Experts examined parallels between the Nilometer and China’s Baiheliang site, which has been on the Tentative List since 2008. Both are considered globally significant examples of hydrological heritage and are notable for their excellent state of preservation.
The Chinese side shared updates on the status of their nomination and presented cultural and economic insights into the Fuling region. The two delegations concluded by reviewing the timeline for submitting final documentation to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee and outlined next steps to secure inscription of both sites.
Photo: iStock
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