ICCROM-Sharjah announces the winning projects of the 3rd cycle of ICCROM Sharjah Award for Good Practices 2021-2022
May 29, 2022, 11:53 am

ICCROM-Sharjah announces the winning projects of the 3rd cycle of ICCROM Sharjah Award for Good Practices 2021-2022

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the Regional Office for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage in the Arab States (ICCROM - Sharjah) is organizing a special ceremony to announce the winning projects of the third cycle of the ICCROM-Sharjah Award for Good Practices in Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management in the Arab Region (2021-2022), and the second cycle of the Arab Cultural Heritage Award for the Young. The event will be organized over two days during the period from 1 to 2 June 2022 in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

The first day of the ceremony will include four consecutive sessions to review the 15 projects that were previously selected by the independent jury of the award. During the sessions, representatives of the shortlisted projects will present all the details and good practices of their respective projects before the jury and a group of experts, academics, researchers, and specialists in the field of cultural heritage preservation in the Arab region and the world. The aim is to compete for winning this prestigious award within its two main categories: Buildings and Heritage Sites, and Collections in Cultural Institutions such as museums and archives.

At the end of the day, the jury, which includes seven distinguished Arab and international experts, will hold a final meeting to review the details of each project and select the winning projects based on their quality of practices in conserving and managing cultural heritage, in terms of technical skills employed and the project’s social and economic impacts on local communities. The winners of the third cycle of the ICCROM-Sharjah Award for Good Practices in Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management in the Arab Region (2021-2022), and the second cycle of the Arab Cultural Heritage Award for the Young, will be announced at 9:00 am on Thursday, 2 June 2022, at the House of Wisdom in Sharjah.

"It cannot be reiterated enough how heritage has the power to enhance the wellbeing of surrounding communities," said Dr. Webber Ndoro, ICCROM's Director-General. "The dedication and professionalism of those who carried out these outstanding works speak to this belief. Their commitment to conserving heritage for the benefit of society is to be celebrated, and so I offer my heartfelt congratulations to those who made the shortlist.”

The shortlist of projects nominated for the award includes the following in the category of archaeological sites: sheltering and protecting Hicham's Palace’s mosaic floor, Palestine; Collart-Palmyre: a comprehensive project on the Baalsahamîn temple in Palmyra, Syria; and the conservation of the 2nd century Temple of Artemis at Jerash, Jordan.

In the historic buildings category, the shortlist included the restoration and rehabilitation of Dar Al Sabbagh in Bethlehem, Palestine; the restoration and rehabilitation of the Matan Heritage Village, Tafileh, Jordan; the restoration and rehabilitation of Old Hebron Museum, Palestine; Sheikh Abdal Mosque restoration in Mosul, Iraq; and traditional house restoration in Ghadames, Libya.

In the category of historic areas, the shortlist included the rehabilitation and restoration of residential courtyards and historical buildings in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem, Palestine; the restoration and revitalization of Al Qurna Village of Hasan Fathi, Egypt; and Beirut Assist Cultural Heritage (BACH), a project to recover the affected area following the 2020 blast in the Port of Beirut, Lebanon.

Finally, in the category of collections in cultural institutions the shortlist included the transportation of the Khufu's first boat to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt; the documentation, archiving, preservation and restoration of the historical maps of Al Azhar Library in Cairo, Egypt; the revitalization and conservation of the cultural heritage of Al Qarara Village in Gaza, Palestine; and the digital documentation of historical documents in Jerusalem, Palestine.

“In light of the critical circumstances experienced by the Arab region and the successive dangers threatening cultural heritage in all its forms, the importance of this award lies in honoring the most important and best projects and practices aimed at preserving cultural heritage in the Arab region, and introducing them to be good examples for replication in other regions of the Arab world”, said Dr. Zaki Aslan, Director of ICCROM-Sharjah. “The award was launched a few years ago by the ICCROM-Sharjah office under the gracious support of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah”, he added.

“The same approach applies to the Arab Cultural Heritage Award for the Young, which was launched by the ICCROM-Sharjah in cooperation with the National Committees for UNESCO in the Arab region. The award focuses on four main categories, namely drawing, folkloric dance, awareness film, and photography. Through the development of creativity in the fields of art, ICCROM Sharjah seeks to raise awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage,
in all its forms, at the level of young people at schools and the younger generations in the Arab region”, Dr. Aslan concluded.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.