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Why the UAE's latest Unesco recognition matters

thenationalnews.com · 14dShare

Abroad, the UAE’s landscape is often described in terms of its rolling sand dunes and hypermodern cities. The country’s latest addition to the Unesco World Heritage list is a timely reminder of the diversity of the Emirates' reality. Wadi Wurayah in Fujairah, which has been recognised by the UN for its “outstanding universal natural value”, is a strikingly scenic canyon that became the UAE’s first national park in 2013. The 220-square-kilometre site is a living ecosystem of year-round streams, waterfalls and more than 1,000 species that defies easy assumptions about the Emirates. Certainly, its recognition by Unesco is a badge of international prestige, but Wadi Wurayah also forms part of a broader national story. Last month, the UAE’s first World Heritage site, Al Ain, marked 15 years on the list. The inclusion of its Bronze Age tombs and complex ancient irrigation systems highlighted that although the Emirates is a fairly young modern nation-state, it is home to culture and heritage

First report: South Korea's UNESCO-listed tidal flats expanded with 4 new sites — koreaherald.com, 17d