Rapid Cultural Inventories for Wetlands in the Arab States

The aim of this initiative is to deliver Rapid Cultural Inventories for wetlands in the Arab States, including Ramsar Sites and relevant World Heritage Sites, in order to build greater understanding of cultural values and practices as a contribution to conservation success.

Adopting a fully participative approach, the initiative aims to produce the following results:

• A database for all existing cultural inventories/assessments in the target countries and sites, including a list of relevant references and projects. 
• A consultation process with key stakeholders, capturing additional relevant knowledge and “good practices” on cultural values and wetland conservation.
• Case studies on a selected number of countries and sites including “lessons learned”, thus presenting a model assessment approach and process for the Arab States which can be applied at other scales.   

Work will be undertaken from June to November 2016 by the Ramsar Convention Secretariat’s programme on Culture and Livelihoods and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage programme on Natural World Heritage (Tabe’a), through an independent consultant, Mr. Tarek Abulhawa. Coordination will be ensured with related initiatives taking place at the same time on case studies of sites designated under both the Ramsar and World Heritage Conventions and on Rapid Cultural Inventories of Mediterranean wetlands.

This initiative is also generously supported by the MAVA Foundation.