H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of ALECSO, took part, on 16 July 2026 in Madrid, Spain, in a session addressing the damage inflicted on the Palestinian cultural sector and the priorities for its reconstruction, held as part of the “International Conference for Palestine Culture”.
In his remarks, the Director-General stressed that the targeting of Palestinian cultural heritage constitutes an assault on national identity and on humanity's collective memory. He emphasized that cultural reconstruction should go beyond the rehabilitation of buildings and institutions to encompass the revival of cultural life, support for artists and cultural practitioners, the strengthening of national capacities, the digitization of archives and manuscripts, and the safeguarding of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
He also called for moving from expressions of solidarity to practical partnerships, while strengthening coordination between UNESCO and other regional and international organizations. He reaffirmed, in this regard, ALECSO's readiness to mobilize its expertise and programmes to contribute to the reconstruction of the Palestinian cultural sector and the protection of its civilizational identity.
The session also featured interventions by representatives of several participating countries, who expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian Cause and their support for the resilience of Palestinian culture. They reaffirmed their commitment to protecting both tangible and intangible cultural heritage and their readiness to contribute to cultural reconstruction efforts.
