The workshop, titled “The Cultural Heritage Sector in Palestine: Reality, Needs, and Challenges,” was held on 9 February 2026 and hosted at the headquarters of the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Ramallah. The Ministry serves as a key national supporting partner in the project’s implementation.

The workshop was opened by H.E. Mr. Hani Al-Hayek, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, in the presence of Dr. Ali Abdel Hamid, Project Coordinator and Director of the Urban and Regional Planning Unit at An-Najah National University, alongside the project team and representatives of Palestinian institutions working in the cultural heritage sector, as well as Deputy Minister Mr. Saleh Tawafsheh and ministry staff.

In his remarks, Minister Al-Hayek stressed the importance of the project in supporting national efforts to protect and safeguard Palestinian cultural heritage. He noted that investing in heritage-related education strengthens Palestine’s position as a regional and international cultural and tourism destination, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. He further emphasized that the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, as the governmental reference body responsible at the policy, legal, and administrative levels for tangible cultural heritage, continues to develop and implement effective policies and legislation and to build national and international partnerships that ensure the sustainable management of heritage and enhance community participation in its protection.

For his part, Dr. Abdel Hamid welcomed the Minister and participants, expressing appreciation to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities for its continued support of the project, as well as to the European Union and all implementing partners. He highlighted the project’s importance in preparing qualified professional human resources at multiple levels, particularly in the fields of sustainable development and the preservation of the Palestinian people’s cultural and civilizational heritage, in ways that enhance the sustainability of this vital sector and keep pace with regional and international developments. Dr. Zahraa Al-Zawawi, the project’s principal researcher, presented an overview of the project’s objectives, components, and expected outputs, outlining its strategic vision for advancing inclusive education and linking academic knowledge with the practical needs of the cultural heritage sector in Palestine.

The workshop featured presentations by participating institutions representing universities, municipalities, applied centers, and community committees. These presentations addressed the current status of the cultural heritage sector in Palestine, the role of these institutions in safeguarding heritage, the key challenges and needs, and the most important proposed interventions and programs to advance and improve the sector on the ground.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants emphasized that the foremost national priorities in the cultural heritage field include developing specialized academic and training programs for heritage protection; launching awareness initiatives targeting officials, media professionals, and the public; strengthening the Palestinian narrative in cultural heritage; and promoting the concepts of heritage tourism and sustainable eco-tourism. They also stressed the developmental, economic, and social dimensions of cultural heritage, the importance of handicrafts in sustaining heritage preservation, and the need to integrate heritage considerations into reconstruction efforts. Participants affirmed that safeguarding cultural heritage in Palestine is fundamentally an issue of identity, memory, and cultural justice—not merely an architectural or archaeological concern.

It is worth noting that the project aims to establish an open digital learning platform, implement joint training programs, produce a specialized academic guide, and build a sustainable cooperation network linking universities, municipalities, and civil society institutions within a framework that strengthens the integration of education and cultural development. The EU-funded project under the Interreg NEXT MED Program will run for three years, from October 2025 through October 2028.