The Saint Catherine archaeological area in Sinai Governorate received the Director of UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science in Cairo, Nuria Sanz, who went on a tour of development in the region.
During the tour, officials from the Antiquities Ministry explained the latest development work being done in the area, including the rehabilitation of the road leading to St. Catherine’s Monastery alongside developments in the visitor center and the services building.
The officials assured the government’s interest in preserving St. Catherine’s antiquities, especially as it is an archaeological site registered on the World Heritage List and is part of the ‘Great Transfiguration Project’ in Sinai.
A number of meetings were held on the sidelines of the tour with officials from St. Catherine’s Monastery.
They explained the effort being done in restoring the monastery’s library building and the volumes within it, which are of great religious and archaeological importance.
A meeting was also held with local community and government officials to discuss cooperation between all concerned parties in order to overcome any challenges or obstacles facing the site and ways to address them.
Possible means of support that could be provided by the UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo were discussed as well, as and a plan was agreed upon for managing the archaeological site.
The promotion of green tourism at the site was also agreed on, especially regarding the sustainable management of water resources and clean energy use, in addition to improving tourist experiences.
