First Workshop as Part of the Arab Thesaurus E-Portal Project Hosted by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage
Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam: An Executive Step Toward an Interactive Digital Portal
On Wednesday morning, the first workshop of the Arab Thesaurus E-Portal Project was launched at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage Theater under the title: “Documenting Intangible Cultural Heritage Content: Emirati Heritage.”
The two-day workshop brings together a select group of experts and researchers, supervised by heritage specialist Dr. Mostafa Gad, and attended by Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam, President of the Institute.
The workshop aims to train researchers in methodologies for documenting elements of intangible cultural heritage, utilizing the materials available at the Institute and the Arab Heritage Center.
During his opening speech, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam emphasized that the Arab Intangible Cultural Heritage Thesaurus Project, a dream pursued by researchers for decades, has now become a tangible reality thanks to the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who believed in the importance of preserving Arab heritage and provided the scientific and institutional environment to realize this pioneering project.
He added that the workshop represents a concrete step toward transforming the thesaurus into an interactive digital portal, providing researchers and heritage enthusiasts across the Arab world with modern tools for documenting heritage according to precise scientific standards. He highlighted that the workshop seeks to strengthen the capabilities of field practitioners and empower them to contribute to a shared Arab project that elevates cultural identity and ensures its sustainability for future generations.
Training and Practical Applications
Dr. Mostafa Gad stated that the workshop is part of the preparations for launching the Arab Thesaurus E-Portal and focuses on implementing the first phase of heritage content documentation.
He explained that the workshop aims to train researchers in a systematic approach to documenting Sharjah and Emirati heritage. Participants are trained to apply the principles of scientific documentation to local content as a preparatory step for inclusion in the Arab Thesaurus electronic database.
The workshop is part of a series of planning and procedural workshops paving the way for the launch of the Arab Heritage Center’s e-portal, which is dedicated to collecting, classifying, and presenting intangible cultural heritage in the Arab world. The portal is a specialized digital platform designed to unify efforts and standards in documentation processes and provide modern interactive tools for researchers and cultural institutions engaged in safeguarding and promoting heritage.