His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, attended the official ceremony marking the inscription of Faya on the UNESCO World Heritage List on Monday.
Officials and dignitaries receiving His Highness
The official ceremony was attended by His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah; Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Ambassador of the Faya World Heritage Site; Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; Sheikh Majid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Chairman of the Department of Tourism and Archeology in Umm Al Qaiwain; Sheikh Khalid bin Issam Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Department; Sheikh Majid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Districts Affairs Department; Sheikh Sultan bin Abdullah bin Salem Al Qasimi, Director of the Department of Statistics and Community Development; Sheikh Salem bin Mohammed bin Salem Al Qasimi, Director of the Commerce and Tourism Development Authority; along with a number of senior officials, representatives of cultural institutions and organisations, and diplomats.
Celebrating the uniqueness of Faya
During his speech at the ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi emphasised the uniqueness of Faya, noting that its rocks not only preserve the layers of time but also tell stories of the earliest human presence on this land.
Living pages of human history
His Highness said: “Here we stand before living pages of the book of humanity. A book that tells us how humans lived, how they faced their environment, how they transformed challenges into knowledge, patience, construction, and wisdom, how they made experience a way of life, and how they turned that experience into accumulated awareness, generation after generation.”
The true value of historical sites
In his address, Highness the Ruler of Sharjah remarked on the value of historical sites, saying: “It goes without saying that the true value of historical sites is not material, but primarily cultural and human—a value that gives people the ability to understand their long journey on this earth, connecting the present with its earliest roots, so that the future is not separated from its memory or origins. Every heritage site is an open school for generations.”
Preserving knowledge and identity
He added: “When we give these historical sites the study and protection they deserve, we are not merely preserving stones or relics, but accumulated knowledge and extended human experience. We help future generations to have a deeper understanding of their identity and their role in the present and future, for what we preserve today safeguards our identity tomorrow.”
Sharjah’s cultural efforts
His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah highlighted the efforts of the Emirate of Sharjah in supporting cultural projects, saying: “Heritage occupies a central position in the cultural project of the Emirate of Sharjah, for it gives culture the roots on which it relies and places it within the context through which the comprehensive image of humans and societies in this region is formed. Historical research in Faya reveals the history of humanity, teaching the meaning of community, establishing cooperation, organising work, and distributing resources. All of these elements form the fundamental pillars of the social structure, whose impact extended into subsequent ages.”
Groundbreaking archaeological discoveries
His Highness also touched upon the efforts of the researchers working on the excavations, noting: “Among the discoveries at Faya is a groundbreaking finding that changed the world’s understanding of human history. When modern excavations began, researchers did not expect Faya to challenge one of the oldest scientific assumptions about human migration. But the land spoke, and the land does not lie when it speaks through science. Finely crafted stone tools were uncovered, and analysis showed that they are over two hundred thousand years old. At that moment, scientists realised they were facing historical evidence indicating that modern humans were here, on this land, long before previously believed”.
Mapping human migration and Faya’s global significance
He added: “Faya has provided a new and well-documented map of human migration and its routes, proving that the Arabian Peninsula was not merely a crossing point but an early homeland in humanity’s journey from Africa to the world, a place for settlement and life. Therefore, Faya is no longer just a local site in the memory of the land, but a central station in the memory of humanity. From this perspective, we do not view the inscription of Faya on the UNESCO World Heritage List as merely a recognition of this region’s history—history validates itself, and we claim no credit, though we have many duties towards it, foremost among them being loyalty and preservation. We see this inscription as a new gift that this region offers to humanity, just as it has historically given the first agriculture, the first trade, the first road networks, the first administrative systems, and the earliest civil and social structures. Through this inscription, humanity now has a new window through which to view the past of this region, to learn from it and draw guidance from the experiences of those who came before us.”
The human dimension of Faya
His Highness also addressed the human dimension of Faya, saying: “Through studying these evidences, it becomes clear that knowledge is not merely of the past, but is relevant for all eras, because humans, despite the passage of time, continue to face the same major challenges in striving for adaptation, sustainable resource use, and sound management. In the human dimension of Faya, we discern a fundamental truth: civilisations do not develop in isolation, but are shaped through communication and through extensive networks that build their civilisational path with justice and equality. This is how we read Faya, and this is how we understand heritage in the Emirate of Sharjah. We see that investing in the protection of these sites is no less important than investing in economic and scientific infrastructure and in building human capacity. Heritage is not merely a recall of the past—it is a foundation for the future”.
Acknowledging key contributors
He concluded his speech by expressing gratitude and appreciation to Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi for her tremendous efforts in leading this initiative, while commending the role of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority and all partners, researchers, and specialists who contributed to achieving this milestone.
Inauguration and official recognition
The ceremony, held at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre, commenced with His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah inaugurating the commemorative monument marking the inscription of Faya on the UNESCO World Heritage List, graciously activating the icon designated for the announcement.
His Highness also received the official inscription certificate from Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, in a moment that highlighted Faya’s global significance and celebrated this international achievement, reinforcing the United Arab Emirates’ role in preserving humanity’s heritage and protecting sites of outstanding value.
Launch of the Faya Research Grant
Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi announced during her speech the launch of the “Faya Research Grant”, a new international scientific initiative valued at two million dirhams, running over three years.
This initiative reflects the Sharjah government’s strong belief in investing in culture and aims to support specialised studies on Faya, promote the participation of young researchers, and provide opportunities for Emirati students to join scientific missions that contribute to expanding knowledge about the site and its role in human development.
The grant is set to be managed by the Sharjah Archaeology Authority under the supervision of the Scientific Committee for the Faya World Heritage Site.
Gratitude for global recognition
She added: “On the eleventh of July this year, the inscription of Faya on the World Heritage List was announced—a moment we had worked towards for decades. When we achieved this milestone, what we felt was not so much victory or triumph as it was gratitude for the world’s recognition of our conviction, and for the understanding that the Faya site carries a story, and that the voices of those who lived here hundreds of thousands of years ago deserve to be heard as part of our shared human history.”
The global significance of Faya
Her Highness, Ambassador of the Faya World Heritage Site, highlighted the significance of Faya’s inscription on the World Heritage List, saying: “The inscription of Faya on the World Heritage List confirms the global significance of this site and deepens our understanding of early human migration, adaptation, and innovation. It places the Arabian Peninsula at the heart of this story. Historically, the Arabian Peninsula was seen merely as a passage between continents, but the Faya site has challenged and changed that narrative, revealing the truth that the humans who crossed this land returned, settled, and adapted here. Over thousands of years, they evolved, learned, and left traces that help us understand our roots, where we came from, and what connects us with the rest of the world as one human family”.
Revisiting history through Faya’s discoveries
She added: “These discoveries urge us to reopen the books of history and reconsider assumptions long considered settled, and to realise that our understanding of human journey remains open to discovery and development”.
Acknowledging the vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah
Her Highness, Ambassador of the Faya World Heritage Site, praised the efforts of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, saying: “This achievement would not have been possible without the vision of His Highness, who adopted this project and supported it with wisdom and unwavering commitment over decades. From the beginning, His Highness believed that this land tells a story worth sharing with the world, and that understanding our history, heritage, and identity is the greatest investment in our future. His steadfast belief has contributed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the project”.
Collaborative efforts of institutions
Her Highness highlighted the efforts made by the relevant institutions, saying: “The Sharjah Archaeology Authority has worked closely with researchers and academics from prestigious international universities and institutions to advance this work over years of excavation, study, analysis, and discovery. It became clear that Faya played a central role in early human presence in this region, and that the Arabian Peninsula was among the first human habitats where conscious interaction between humans and their physical environment occurred”.
Future plans for the Faya site
Her Highness, Ambassador of the Faya World Heritage Site, outlined future plans in her remarks: “With global recognition of this knowledge, we look forward to the future of this site and what we will continue to learn from it in the coming days and years, as well as the commitment and intensified efforts it requires from us. Here in the Emirate of Sharjah, we reaffirm our dedication to protecting and preserving Faya, ensuring the sustainability of this heritage for future generations. We recognise that the story of Faya must continue to expand through ongoing research, discovery, and international collaboration”.
Expressing appreciation and commitment
At the conclusion of her speech, Her Highness expressed appreciation and gratitude to Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, to the esteemed members of the World Heritage Committee, and to everyone who contributed to this journey. She highlighted that their confidence in the outstanding universal value of Faya was a key factor in achieving recognition, emphasising that this inscription is both an honour and a responsibility. Faya now belongs to the world, and Her Highness pledged to continue working to deepen understanding of the site’s significance for future generations.
UNESCO World Heritage recognition of Faya
Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, commended the efforts of the Emirate of Sharjah during his speech, expressing his honour and delight at being in Sharjah and at the exceptional site to celebrate the inscription of Faya on the World Heritage List.
He noted that this high-level recognition by the World Heritage Committee represents a significant milestone in appreciating this unique site, confirming its global significance as a heritage of humanity. He emphasised that the inscription of cultural or natural sites on the World Heritage List demonstrates their outstanding universal value, deserving protection for the benefit of all humankind.
The importance of the World Heritage Convention
The Director highlighted the importance of the World Heritage Convention, stating: “World Heritage Convention is a unique international treaty and a notable mechanism that brings us together, sharing values, to work collectively to preserve our common heritage for future generations. Faya represents the second property in the United Arab Emirates to be included on the World Heritage List – since the inscription of the ‘Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud and Oases Areas)’ in 2011. Its inscription testifies to the richness and diversity of the country’s heritage, embedded with cultural and natural value”.
Visiting the Faya site
Assomo shared his experience visiting parts of the World Heritage property: “I had the pleasure of visiting several areas of this remarkable site, which encompasses multiple designated protected areas. Indeed, Faya contains significant archaeological remains, in addition to geomorphological features that provided essential resources – such as water and raw materials – thus enabling human settlement. With evidence of human occupation during the early Middle Palaeolithic and Neolithic periods, spanning thousands of years, this property sheds light on past human responses to extreme climates”.
Opportunities for research and preservation
He added: “At the same time, the inscribed property offers great opportunities for further research and exploration, which will undoubtedly continue to enrich our understanding of early human occupation in arid zones. I have also had the pleasure to experience the efforts that are being undertaken by the authorities in Sharjah – namely the Sharjah Archaeology Authority in the protection, conservation and presentation of this site”.
Commending Sharjah’s leadership
Addressing His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Assomo said: “Your Highness, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the attention that you have given to culture and heritage, and the importance of its preservation and dissemination for future generations, is commendable. These efforts have been extended to support the region”.
He concluded: “Today’s celebration highlights the global significance of Faya, as a heritage of humanity and the important role it played in our shared history. My sincere congratulations for its inscription on the World Heritage List”.
Heritage at the heart of Sharjah’s vision
During the ceremony, Eisa Yousif, Director General of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority, welcomed guests and partners, affirming that under the leadership and vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, the Emirate has developed an integrated knowledge project making heritage a cornerstone in understanding humans and their history.
He praised Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi for leading the Faya nomination, presenting the region’s heritage to the world, and embodying both national and scientific efforts to highlight humanity’s heritage as part of the broader story of civilisation.
Sharjah’s longstanding commitment to heritage
Eisa Yousif added: “Sharjah’s dedication to heritage is a long-standing narrative, told through dozens of archaeological sites, specialised scientific missions, local and international projects, and preservation initiatives. These efforts have made the Emirate a knowledge platform and a key reference in tangible cultural heritage and archaeology. Today, Sharjah has strengthened its position through adherence to its historical and civilisational identity, attracting researchers, historians, tourists, and business leaders seeking authenticity and heritage”.
Integrated cultural and scientific programme
The ceremony included a comprehensive artistic and scientific programme, giving guests an immersive experience of Faya’s history and human depth. A short archival film documented the site and its discoveries, followed by the “Faya Research Grant” film, narrated to explain the initiative’s objectives, supporting future research and nurturing a new generation of young researchers.
Visual storytelling of Faya
A presentation titled “The Story of Faya” was displayed on panoramic screens across a rock façade at the heart of the site, using 3D filming techniques and precise natural footage to simulate changing environments over more than 210,000 years, creating a visual and poetic narrative that retraced humanity’s first steps in the region.
The programme concluded with an innovative performance called “Echoes of Faya”, which used light and air to illustrate how Faya’s memory is recorded in sand, water, rocks, and wind. The display depicted shifting scenes of mountainous and desert environments, Faya’s sands, and geological layers over time, offering attendees a multisensory experience that revived the site’s memory and traced the natural and human transformations shaping its history, blending art, scientific research, and heritage.
Honouring partner institutions
His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah presented commemorative plaques to partner institutions that contributed to the successful nomination of Faya, expressing gratitude for their collaborative role and emphasising that preserving human heritage results from strong partnerships between research, cultural, and specialised institutions.
Official dinner and exhibition tour
The evening concluded with a formal dinner designed to reflect the spirit and historical message of the site, in a scientific and cultural gathering highlighting Sharjah’s commitment to promoting global heritage values and fostering knowledge and human awareness.
Before the ceremony, His Highness toured the Mleiha Archaeological Centre, viewing the exhibition “Faya’s Journey to World Heritage 1973–2025”, which showcased key milestones from early scientific investigations by international missions to the mapping of the Faya mountains and archaeological discoveries that reshaped understanding of early human migration from Africa. The tour culminated in the 2025 official inscription of the site on the World Heritage List.
His Highness was briefed on the efforts of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority and its partners in research and specialised studies, reviewing maps and models showing rainfall patterns and the geological role of the Faya mountains in stopping expansion across Al Madam plain. He also observed major archaeological finds in Mleiha, including arrowheads, graves, ornamental tools, and human remains reflecting continuous human presence over successive historical periods.
Key archaeological discoveries
The exhibition included a selection of archaeological finds dating back hundreds of thousands of years, with six items displayed before His Highness for the first time. These represented pivotal moments in Faya’s history: an Acheulean stone handaxe from the Lower Palaeolithic (~500,000 years old), Middle Palaeolithic stone tools (50,000–80,000 years old), hunting points (~40,000 years old), long flint blades (~30,000 years old), and small multipurpose cutting tools (15,000–20,000 years old).
Diplomatic engagement
His Highness also greeted ambassadors and permanent delegates of UNESCO member states, expressing gratitude for their support in Faya’s nomination to the World Heritage List.
The path to inscription
The inscription of Faya crowned years of dedicated work led by Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, who served as the official ambassador for the nomination. Working with an integrated team from the Sharjah Archaeology Authority, international partners, and expert institutions, she documented the site’s outstanding universal value and prepared scientific studies showcasing Faya as one of the oldest living archives of human presence in desert environments for over 200–210,000 years.
Her Highness also led a series of specialised international meetings and events to promote Faya’s value and scientific and human significance. This collective effort culminated in the official announcement of Faya’s inscription during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, representing the UAE and Sharjah, and affirming that Faya’s story is part of humanity’s shared history
