UNESCO inscribes Sharjah’s Faya to World Heritage List

The UAE is marking a major milestone in heritage preservation, with the UNESCO officially adding Sharjah’s Faya Palaeolandscape to the World Heritage List.

It’s the first desert Paleolithic site ever inscribed and only the second UAE site to receive this global recognition, following Al Ain’s cultural sites in 2011.

Located in Sharjah’s central region, Faya offers one of the oldest records of human life in arid environments—dating back over 200,000 years.

The site was recognised under the Cultural Landscape category and stands as the only Arab site added this year.

The inscription follows over three decades of archaeological research led by the Sharjah Archaeology Authority, in collaboration with institutions such as the University of Tübingen and Oxford Brookes University.

Officials say the site’s stone tools and 18 archaeological layers provide critical insight into early human migration and adaptation.

Sharjah formally submitted the nomination in February 2024 following 12 years of dossier preparation. 

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, ambassador of the nomination file, said the recognition highlights Sharjah’s role in human history and the region’s deep cultural roots.

The UAE and Sharjah have adopted a comprehensive conservation plan for 2024–2030 to protect Faya’s universal value, with a continued focus on research, education and sustainable tourism.

Faya’s inscription brings the total number of World Heritage sites to 1,226 across 168 countries, including 955 cultural, 231 natural and 40 mixed sites. The Arab region now hosts 96 such sites across 18 countries.