Press release
Inaugurating Kufr Rai Cultural Center
Kufr Rai, 14 July 2021 – in the presence of representatives of Kufr Rai Municipality and the local community of the village, UNESCO Ramallah Office and Riwaq Centre for Architectural Conservation celebrated the end of the rehabilitation works in Housh Al-Lakloum in the historic center of Kufr Rai village to the south-west of Jenin Governorate.
In his opening remarks, Mr Ghazi Melhem, the Mayor of Kufr Rai, stressed that the rehabilitation works in Housh Al-Lakloum and designating it to be a cultural center is only the beginning, emphasizing that the Municipality is planning to intervene widely in the village and preserve its historic urban fabric. Mr Melhem thanked the Swedish Government and UNESCO for their unwavering support in protecting the Palestinian cultural heritage and safeguarding it for the future generations.
Ms Shatha Safi, Director of Riwaq, praised the longstanding partnership with UNESCO through which Riwaq was able to intervene in the rural areas of Palestine to empower the communities through creating job opportunities and enhance the sense of belonging to their roots and heritage.
On the other hand, Mr Giovanni Scepi, Head of the Culture Unit at UNESCO Ramallah Office, congratulated the Municipality and the residents of Kufr Rai for this achievement, and stressed the collective efforts put together at the national level to protect and promote Palestinian cultural heritage by transforming the once deserted empty buildings into vibrant facilities as evidenced in this unique building in the historic center of Kufr Rai.
It is worth mentioning that the building was rehabilitated within the framework of the project “Local Development through the Rehabilitation and Revitalization of Historic Environment in Palestine”, generously funded by Sweden and implemented by UNESCO.
In his opening remarks, Mr Ghazi Melhem, the Mayor of Kufr Rai, stressed that the rehabilitation works in Housh Al-Lakloum and designating it to be a cultural center is only the beginning, emphasizing that the Municipality is planning to intervene widely in the village and preserve its historic urban fabric. Mr Melhem thanked the Swedish Government and UNESCO for their unwavering support in protecting the Palestinian cultural heritage and safeguarding it for the future generations.
Ms Shatha Safi, Director of Riwaq, praised the longstanding partnership with UNESCO through which Riwaq was able to intervene in the rural areas of Palestine to empower the communities through creating job opportunities and enhance the sense of belonging to their roots and heritage.
On the other hand, Mr Giovanni Scepi, Head of the Culture Unit at UNESCO Ramallah Office, congratulated the Municipality and the residents of Kufr Rai for this achievement, and stressed the collective efforts put together at the national level to protect and promote Palestinian cultural heritage by transforming the once deserted empty buildings into vibrant facilities as evidenced in this unique building in the historic center of Kufr Rai.
It is worth mentioning that the building was rehabilitated within the framework of the project “Local Development through the Rehabilitation and Revitalization of Historic Environment in Palestine”, generously funded by Sweden and implemented by UNESCO.
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16 July 2021
Last update:20 April 2023
