Executive
Summary PUSH Regional Workshop
YMCA Jerusalem
Introduction
The idea for the Promoting
dialogue and cultural Understanding of our Shared Heritage
(PUSH) project developed through many discussions between
faculty members and administrative representatives from Al
Quds University and Bezalel Academy of Art and Design with
the aim of encouraging cooperation between academics in the
region. The PUSH project builds on the UNESCO
recommendations for academic networking and dialogue to
foster mutual respect for cultural and natural heritage.
Bolstered by the addition of The Jordan Society for
Sustainable Development, the tri-lateral PUSH project aims
to create a regional dialogue on issues of cultural and
natural heritage, resulting in concrete benefits at the
national and regional levels.
To that aim, PUSH works to break down
cultural prejudices by building greater understanding of
the region's shared heritage as a means to respect and
appreciate the cultures of the 'other' thereby advancing
peace in the region. Furthermore, by identifying important
sites of natural and cultural heritage, PUSH brings
international attention to the rich cultural and natural
heritage of the region in need of preservation.
Since the PUSH project was initiated in October 2006, the
three partners have worked to synthesize the available
inventories of cultural and natural heritage through
discussions with stakeholders including other universities,
research institutions, private consultants and local
non-governmental organizations. During the discussion
and evaluation process each PUSH team has been in constant
dialogue with the other two teams, to draw attention to the
commonality of sites located in Israeli, Palestinian and
Jordanian areas. Weekly meetings were held at the
management level, augmented by regular full team meetings
in Jerusalem, and constant email and phone
discussions. These meetings and discussions enabled
team members to create the necessary synergy between the
three national lists, as well as to create and expand
professional cross-border linkages between the three
partner institutions.
As a result, each team produced a publication entitled
Exploring the Common Heritage: Draft Inventory of Sites of
Shared Regional Heritage. Each inventory describes
no less than thirty examples of shared cultural and natural
heritage sites. The breadth of the sites is
unparalleled; from rock art, to religious and historical
buildings; from cultural routes, to sites of early
technological development, each of which illustrate the
important historical, cultural and natural heritage shared
by the peoples of the region.
The Regional Workshop described in this Executive Summary
brought the three PUSH teams and numerous local, regional
and international experts together to review the important
inventories and plan the next stages of the PUSH project.
We welcome your comments and participation in this unique
discussion.