emirates7 - Issa Yousif, Director-General of the Sharjah Antiquities Authority, emphasized that the Authority’s efforts are ongoing, extending beyond the global recognition of inscribing the Jebel Faya site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. He unveiled future initiatives aimed at showcasing the exceptional significance of other key archaeological sites, including Wadi Al Helo in the Eastern Region and the Mleiha site in the Central Region—both of which are already listed on UNESCO’s Tentative List.
In an interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Yousif shared that the nomination of Jebel Faya was supported scientifically by 13 of the 21 member states on the World Heritage Committee. This backing underscores the site’s authenticity and its global importance.
He noted that this accomplishment brings long-term strategic value to the UAE and Sharjah in particular. It reinforces the region’s position as a crucial landmark in early human history, supports sustainable and specialized cultural tourism, and helps generate varied employment opportunities, including in heritage tour guiding.
These outcomes, Yousif said, were the result of effective institutional collaboration, especially with the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), through the Mleiha Archaeological Centre; the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, which manages the Jebel Buhais Geological Park; and the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, which promotes local tourism destinations.
Yousif also outlined the development of the nomination dossier, titled “The Cultural Landscape of the Prehistoric Faya Region.” The site’s discovery dates back to 2003 through a German-led expedition under Dr. Sabah Jasim. It was included on UNESCO’s Tentative List in 2012. In 2020, the nomination file was revised to better emphasize the site’s significance as the earliest desert location inhabited by humans during the Palaeolithic period.
Archaeological findings confirmed that Jebel Faya marked the southern migration route into the Arabian Peninsula around 200,000 years ago.
Kholoud Al-Houli Al-Suwaidi, Director of the Tangible Cultural Heritage Department at the Authority, stated that a comprehensive site management plan was completed ahead of the nomination submission. She highlighted that, unlike many heritage sites globally, Jebel Faya is already accessible to visitors. The Mleiha Archaeological Centre organizes guided tours led by trained experts, who rotate vehicle routes every two weeks to limit environmental disruption.
Al-Suwaidi added that the UNESCO inscription carries a major responsibility, requiring annual conservation plans and detailed monitoring reports every five years to ensure the site's preservation for future generations. These obligations are grounded in decades of research and fieldwork.
She also pointed out the site’s remarkable scientific significance. The Faya mountain range consists of rare ophiolite rock formations from the Earth’s mantle, making it one of only three such globally important geological sites—and the most easily accessible, compared to counterparts in the Hajar or Himalaya mountains.
Both Yousif and Al-Suwaidi credited this achievement to strong legal protections put in place under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The Legal Department and the Department of Planning and Survey also played key roles by implementing regulatory measures for the site’s preservation.
They extended special thanks to Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, who served as the nomination file’s ambassador, for her instrumental role in overcoming obstacles, as well as to the 12 local departments whose contributions were essential to securing this historic recognition.
In an interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Yousif shared that the nomination of Jebel Faya was supported scientifically by 13 of the 21 member states on the World Heritage Committee. This backing underscores the site’s authenticity and its global importance.
He noted that this accomplishment brings long-term strategic value to the UAE and Sharjah in particular. It reinforces the region’s position as a crucial landmark in early human history, supports sustainable and specialized cultural tourism, and helps generate varied employment opportunities, including in heritage tour guiding.
These outcomes, Yousif said, were the result of effective institutional collaboration, especially with the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), through the Mleiha Archaeological Centre; the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, which manages the Jebel Buhais Geological Park; and the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, which promotes local tourism destinations.
Yousif also outlined the development of the nomination dossier, titled “The Cultural Landscape of the Prehistoric Faya Region.” The site’s discovery dates back to 2003 through a German-led expedition under Dr. Sabah Jasim. It was included on UNESCO’s Tentative List in 2012. In 2020, the nomination file was revised to better emphasize the site’s significance as the earliest desert location inhabited by humans during the Palaeolithic period.
Archaeological findings confirmed that Jebel Faya marked the southern migration route into the Arabian Peninsula around 200,000 years ago.
Kholoud Al-Houli Al-Suwaidi, Director of the Tangible Cultural Heritage Department at the Authority, stated that a comprehensive site management plan was completed ahead of the nomination submission. She highlighted that, unlike many heritage sites globally, Jebel Faya is already accessible to visitors. The Mleiha Archaeological Centre organizes guided tours led by trained experts, who rotate vehicle routes every two weeks to limit environmental disruption.
Al-Suwaidi added that the UNESCO inscription carries a major responsibility, requiring annual conservation plans and detailed monitoring reports every five years to ensure the site's preservation for future generations. These obligations are grounded in decades of research and fieldwork.
She also pointed out the site’s remarkable scientific significance. The Faya mountain range consists of rare ophiolite rock formations from the Earth’s mantle, making it one of only three such globally important geological sites—and the most easily accessible, compared to counterparts in the Hajar or Himalaya mountains.
Both Yousif and Al-Suwaidi credited this achievement to strong legal protections put in place under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The Legal Department and the Department of Planning and Survey also played key roles by implementing regulatory measures for the site’s preservation.
They extended special thanks to Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, who served as the nomination file’s ambassador, for her instrumental role in overcoming obstacles, as well as to the 12 local departments whose contributions were essential to securing this historic recognition.