Latest news with #UNESCOWorldHeritageConvention
Qatar Tribune
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar urges int'l community to assume its moral, legal role of protecting occupied Palestine heritage
QNA Paris Qatar, in its capacity as Vice-Chair of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and representative of the Arab Group, has called on the international community to assume its moral and legal responsibilities to protect cultural heritage sites in the occupied Palestinian territories. The call came at the conclusion of the World Heritage Committee's session, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, emphasising that the preservation of humanity's heritage is a collective responsibility that cannot tolerate complacency or neglect, especially in light of the growing threats facing this legacy in conflict areas. In his remarks at the closing session, Qatar's Permanent Representative to UNESCO HE Dr Nasser bin Hamad Al Henzab said that this session has once again reaffirmed the importance of joint action and the need to strengthen international cooperation to protect World Heritage sites from the multiple threats they face, whether stemming from climate change, conflicts, or natural or human-induced deterioration. He stressed that Qatar firmly believes that protecting humanity's heritage is a shared responsibility that requires effective partnerships and a comprehensive approach combining expertise, knowledge, and political will. Al Henzab pointed out that in the face of escalating conflicts around the world, global cultural heritage now faces unprecedented danger, with humanity's memory, which is rich in symbols and identity, becoming vulnerable to destruction, looting, or marginalisation. He added that this world heritage is a common legacy of all humanity, representing its story, diversity, and shared experiences. He stressed that destroying cultural heritage erases not only stones and buildings, but also obliterates ancestral narratives, severs people's connection to their past, and undermines opportunities for reconciliation and recovery after conflict. He affirmed that Qatar, as vice-chair of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and representative of the Arab Group, views the targeting of cultural heritage sites in Palestine, whether in Ramallah or Gaza, as a continued and blatant violation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention. He specifically highlighted the ongoing threats to the Ibrahimi Mosque (Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi) due to Israeli occupation practices, including attempts to alter and seize it, calling on the international community and the World Heritage Centre to take immediate action to protect this historic site in accordance with relevant World Heritage Committee resolutions. Dr Al Henzab explained that Qatar's position stems from a deep conviction of the need to preserve heritage as a fundamental pillar of identity and cultural diversity, noting that Qatar has long paid great attention to protecting its own cultural and natural heritage and remains fully committed to the standards and principles of the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention. He confirmed Qatar's keenness to support international efforts to preserve listed sites through unique initiatives aimed at raising awareness of the importance of heritage as a key component of sustainable development. He renewed Qatar's unwavering commitment to the principles of the World Heritage Convention and expressed his aspiration for continued constructive cooperation with all international partners to safeguard this shared heritage and ensure its preservation and enhancement for future generations.
Qatar Tribune
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar calls on international community to assume responsibility of protecting occupied Palestine's heritage
Paris The State of Qatar, in its capacity as Vice-Chair of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and representative of the Arab Group, has called on the international community to assume its moral and legal responsibilities to protect cultural heritage sites in the occupied Palestinian territories. This call came at the conclusion of the World Heritage Committee's session, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, emphasizing that the preservation of humanity's heritage is a collective responsibility that cannot tolerate complacency or neglect, especially in light of the growing threats facing this legacy in conflict areas. In his remarks at the closing session, Qatar's Permanent Representative to UNESCO HE Dr Nasser bin Hamad Al Henzab said that this session has once again reaffirmed the importance of joint action and the need to strengthen international cooperation to protect World Heritage sites from the multiple threats they face, whether stemming from climate change, conflicts, or natural or human-induced deterioration. He stressed that the State of Qatar firmly believes that protecting humanity's heritage is a shared responsibility that requires effective partnerships and a comprehensive approach combining expertise, knowledge, and political will. Al Henzab pointed out that in the face of escalating conflicts around the world, highlighting that global cultural heritage now faces unprecedented danger, with humanity's memory, which is rich in symbols and identity, becoming vulnerable to destruction, looting, or marginalization. He added that this world heritage is a common legacy of all humanity, representing its story, diversity, and shared experiences. He stressed that destroying cultural heritage erases not only stones and buildings, but also obliterates ancestral narratives, severs people's connection to their past, and undermines opportunities for reconciliation and recovery after conflict. He affirmed that the State of Qatar, as Vice-Chair of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and representative of the Arab Group, views the targeting of cultural heritage sites in Palestine, whether in Ramallah or Gaza, as a continued and blatant violation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention. He specifically highlighted the ongoing threats to the Ibrahimi Mosque (Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi) due to Israeli occupation practices, including attempts to alter and seize it, calling on the international community and the World Heritage Centre to take immediate action to protect this historic site in accordance with relevant World Heritage Committee resolutions. Dr Al Henzab explained that the State of Qatar's position stems from a deep conviction of the need to preserve heritage as a fundamental pillar of identity and cultural diversity, noting that Qatar has long paid great attention to protecting its own cultural and natural heritage and remains fully committed to the standards and principles of the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention. He confirmed the State of Qatar's keenness to support international efforts to preserve listed sites through unique initiatives aimed at raising awareness of the importance of heritage as a key component of sustainable development. He renewed Qatar's unwavering commitment to the principles of the World Heritage Convention and expressed his aspiration for continued constructive cooperation with all international partners to safeguard this shared heritage and ensure its preservation and enhancement for future generations.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Photos show the Heard and McDonald Islands, the remote territory full of penguins and seals Trump hit with a 10% tariff
President Donald Trump announced a 10% tariff on the Heard and McDonald Islands. A remote Australian territory, the islands do not have any permanent human residents. They do, however, have millions of penguins, seals, and other Antarctic wildlife. When President Donald Trump announced sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" on countries across the globe, one place included among major trade partners like China and the European Union raised eyebrows. The Heard and McDonald Islands, a remote Australian territory located between Madagascar and Antarctica, was hit with a 10% tariff despite not having any permanent human residents. "It just shows and exemplifies the fact that nowhere on Earth is safe from this," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said of Trump's tariffs on the country's territories, the BBC reported. The tariffs brought new attention to the small islands that, while uninhabited by people, do feature millions of penguins, seals, and other species of Antarctic wildlife. Take a closer look at the Heard and McDonald Islands. President Donald Trump's announcement of what he called "reciprocal tariffs" included a 10% tariff on the Heard and McDonald Islands. On April 2, in what he called "Liberation Day," Trump signed an executive order establishing a 10% baseline tariff on all countries. China was initially hit with a reciprocal tariff of 34%, and the European Union's tariff was set at 20%. The announcement sent the stock market crashing on April 3 in the worst single-day loss since 2020 as investors panicked about the possible economic impact. Located 2,500 miles off the coast of Australia between Madagascar and Antarctica, the islands have no permanent human residents. The Heard and McDonald Islands aren't an independent country — they're Australian territories spanning about 37,000 hectares, or about the size of Detroit. However, they are inhabited by penguins, seals, and other species of Antarctic wildlife. The Heard and McDonald Islands feature one of the world's largest macaroni penguin colonies. Out of a global population of around 6.3 million breeding pairs of macaroni penguins, around 1 million are located on the Heard and McDonald Islands, according to a 2013 estimate by BirdLife International. Other species of penguins on the islands include king, gentoo, chinstrap, and rockhopper penguins. UNESCO's World Heritage List calls the islands "one of the most biologically pristine areas in the world." According to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, only a few species of penguins and other marine birds and mammals live on the Heard and McDonald Islands, but they number in the millions. With no introduced species present, the islands are particularly useful to researchers since their low species diversity allows scientists to study the ecosystem more precisely. Heard Island is also home to an active volcano known as Big Ben. The Heard and McDonald Islands are the only volcanically active sub-Antarctic islands on Earth. Their highest peak, Big Ben, stands at 9,006 feet. Researchers and explorers have visited the Heard and McDonald Islands to study and photograph the remote setting. The Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition established a scientific research station on Heard Island in 1947, which remained operational until 1955. A 1982 expedition visited the ruins of the former research station and used it as their base camp, according to a 1982 issue of Australian Women's Weekly. Researchers continue to study glacial and geological activity on the undeveloped islands to monitor the effects of climate change and learn more about the planet's tectonic plates. How the tariffs will impact the islands' future trade with the US remains to be seen. The White House previously told Business Insider that the reciprocal tariffs do still apply to the unpopulated islands because they're Australian territories. World Bank data shows that the US imported $1.4 million worth of machinery and electrical goods from the Heard and McDonald Islands in 2022. In response to a previous request for comment, representatives for the Australian Antarctic Division, which manages the Heard and McDonald Islands, directed BI to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which did not respond. Read the original article on Business Insider
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
'Whatever': Trump official pressed on tariffs against islands populated by penguins
'Whatever': Trump official pressed on tariffs against islands populated by penguins Show Caption Hide Caption Senate Democrats rip President Trump's tariffs "He's taxing penguins, not Putin." Senate Democrats harshly criticized President Trump's tariffs. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's tariff rollout last week when asked why two uninhabited islands were hit with the fees, saying in a new interview "whatever." Trump on Wednesday announced a 10% baseline tariff for all countries and reciprocal tariffs against approximately 60 countries that he says contribute most to the U.S. trade deficit. But toward the end of a long list of charts displaying the reciprocal tariffs, as shared by the White House on X, Heard and McDonald Islands are listed as being hit with the 10% cost. "The Heard and McDonald islands have zero human inhabitants. They had zero exports," CNN "State of the Union" host Jake Tapper said Sunday. "They had zero imports. They do have a lot of penguins. Why are you putting import tariffs on islands that are entirely populated by penguins?" "Come on, Jake," Rollins responded. "Obviously, here's the bottom line. We live under a tariff regime from other countries. We have too long ceded the idea that America goes first. "I mean, come on, whatever. Listen, the people that are leading this are serious, intentional, patriotic," Rollins said. The islands are located between Australia, South Africa and the Antarctic continent. They are conserved for their "pristine island ecosystems" with a rare combination of sub-Antarctic islands and active volcanoes, according to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. They do have thriving wildlife largely untouched by people, with several populations of bird species, seals and penguins. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was also asked about the tariffs on the islands on Sunday. He argued the Trump administration couldn't leave any country off of their list of fees, in case other nations try to ship through the area to avoid tariffs. "Basically (Trump) said, look, I can't let any part of the world be a place where China or other countries can ship through them," Lutnick said. "So he ended those loopholes, these ridiculous loopholes." Tariffs were the centerpiece of Trump's economic agenda on the 2024 campaign trail, and his administration has argued they will spur production in America. However, some analysts say that manufacturers will pass the costs of the tariffs on to consumers, effectively raising prices. The stock market has taken a major hit in the days since Trump's tariff rollout. In the two trading days since Wednesday's announcement, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 9.2%, the S&P 500 fell 10.5%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq tumbled 11.4%. Contributing: Kinsey Crowley and Jim Sergent, USA TODAY
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Whatever': Trump official pressed on tariffs against islands populated by penguins
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's tariff rollout last week when asked why two uninhabited islands were hit with the fees, saying in a new interview "whatever." Trump on Wednesday announced a 10% baseline tariff for all countries and reciprocal tariffs against approximately 60 countries that he says contribute most to the U.S. trade deficit. But toward the end of a long list of charts displaying the reciprocal tariffs, as shared by the White House on X, Heard and McDonald Islands are listed as being hit with the 10% cost. "The Heard and McDonald islands have zero human inhabitants. They had zero exports," CNN "State of the Union" host Jake Tapper said Sunday. "They had zero imports. They do have a lot of penguins. Why are you putting import tariffs on islands that are entirely populated by penguins?" "Come on, Jake," Rollins responded. "Obviously, here's the bottom line. We live under a tariff regime from other countries. We have too long ceded the idea that America goes first. "I mean, come on, whatever. Listen, the people that are leading this are serious, intentional, patriotic," Rollins said. The islands are located between Australia, South Africa and the Antarctic continent. They are conserved for their "pristine island ecosystems" with a rare combination of sub-Antarctic islands and active volcanoes, according to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. They do have thriving wildlife largely untouched by people, with several populations of bird species, seals and penguins. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was also asked about the tariffs on the islands on Sunday. He argued the Trump administration couldn't leave any country off of their list of fees, in case other nations try to ship through the area to avoid tariffs. "Basically (Trump) said, look, I can't let any part of the world be a place where China or other countries can ship through them," Lutnick said. "So he ended those loopholes, these ridiculous loopholes." Tariffs were the centerpiece of Trump's economic agenda on the 2024 campaign trail, and his administration has argued they will spur production in America. However, some analysts say that manufacturers will pass the costs of the tariffs on to consumers, effectively raising prices. The stock market has taken a major hit in the days since Trump's tariff rollout. In the two trading days since Wednesday's announcement, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 9.2%, the S&P 500 fell 10.5%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq tumbled 11.4%. Contributing: Jim Sergent, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump official pressed on tariffs against islands with penguins, seals
