Sana'a: The Media, Culture, and Tourism Committee of Parliament held a meeting today chaired by Committee Rapporteur Mohammed Al-Junaid, attended by the government side represented by the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Abdullah Al-Washli, the First Deputy Minister, Dr. Essam Al-Sanini, and a number of specialists from the Ministry's planning team.
According to Yemen News Agency, the meeting was dedicated to discussing issues of importance to the culture and tourism sectors, foremost among them the preservation of antiquities, manuscripts, and museums, emphasizing the importance of coordination between relevant authorities to protect antiquities from smuggling and looting.
The attendees addressed the issue of museums and the systematic targeting they have suffered at the hands of the aggression coalition states over more than 11 years, which resulted in damage to many buildings and archaeological museums. The latest was the Zionist enemy's targeting of the Moral Guidance building in Al-Tahrir area, which affected the adjacent National Museum building, and the efforts being made by the Ministry to restore it at a cost of more than 90 million riyals.
The meeting reviewed the inventory of archaeological manuscripts, which has reached more than 40,000 manuscripts, and the ongoing inventory of archaeological pieces at the National Museum in Sana'a, which has exceeded 70,000 pieces.
The difficulties hindering the Ministry's work and its affiliated bodies were also discussed, amid scarce resources and the lack of necessary capabilities to meet the Ministry's needs, in addition to the repercussions of the aggression and blockade on the country.
During the meeting, the Committee appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in preserving manuscripts, antiquities, museums, and archaeological buildings, urging the Ministry's leadership and staff to redouble efforts to protect antiquities, manuscripts, and museums.
Committee Rapporteur Al-Junaid emphasized the importance of working on developing and updating legislation to meet the requirements of the current phase and to address all challenges and the repercussions of the aggression and blockade concerning the culture and tourism sectors.
For his part, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism pointed out that the Ministry has submitted a draft amendment to the law on financing the establishment of the Heritage and Cultural Development Fund, which was submitted to the Council of Ministers and approved, pending its submission to Parliament to complete constitutional procedures.