UCL Qatar

UCL is to participate in the Seventh World Archaeological Congress, to be held at the King Hussein Convention Centre, Dead Sea, Jordan, from 14 to 18 January 2013. Academic staff from UCL Qatar will be chairing a two-part session entitled 'Issues of heritage practices in the Gulf' to take place on Tuesday 15 January. UCL will also exhibit at the WAC, where prospective students and interested parties will be able to find out more information on the UCL Institute of Archaeology, London, as well as UCL's recently opened Doha campus, UCL Qatar. 

Academic Sessions: 

Dr Karen Exell (Lecturer in Museum Studies), Dr Stavroula Golfomitou (Lecturer in Conservation Studies) and Dr Trinidad Rico (Lecturer in Museums and Heritage) will chair 'Issues in heritage practices in the Gulf region'.

Part 1: 8.00am - 10.00am, Tuesday 15 January

Part 2: 1.00pm - 3.00pm, Tuesday 15 January

The relatively recent but growing involvement of the nations of the Gulf region in global heritage models suggests a strong interest in the further professionalization and standardization of heritage practices at the local level. This session aims to provide a critical overview of the variety of heritage practices as they are envisioned and put to work in the GCC states. It considers a wide range of issues, from the application of global models of site conservation and management to the challenges of heritage interpretation and presentation.

The participants in this session explore locally understood and practiced forms of heritage preservation and interpretation that may offer alternative solutions and adaptations to regional concerns, and invite discussions of locally emerging philosophies. In addition, this session presents specific regional case studies that address the creation of local heritage policies and how these are put into practice; the application of global standards in heritage preservation, interpretation and presentation, including issues of world heritage management; the politics of heritage preservation and interpretation, including sociocultural and religious considerations in the region and the mobilization of heritage concerns to promote other development projects, among others.

Exhibition:

Venue: Dead Sea Convention Centre

Throughout the week of 14-18 January, UCL will exhibit at the WAC. This provides an opportunity for prospective students to gather information on the undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research opportunities on offer in the areas of cultural heritage, archaeology, conservation and museum studies, at UCL's London and Qatar campuses.

In addition, our staff look forward to meeting visitors and establishing new links within the cultural heritage sector.

For more information on attending, visit the World Archaeological Congress website.