UNESCO Adds Sharjah’s Faya Palaeolandscape as Sole Arab World Heritage Site in 2025

The United Nations cultural agency UNESCO has added Sharjah’s Faya Palaeolandscape to its prestigious World Heritage List, marking the United Arab Emirates' second World Heritage site and the only Arab site to be inscribed in 2025.

The announcement came during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris. The site, located in the central region of Sharjah, is recognized for its exceptional archaeological significance, offering key insights into early human habitation in arid environments. Evidence from the site dates back more than 210,000 years.

Faya’s inclusion under the “Cultural Landscape” category highlights its importance in tracing early human migration and evolution, particularly the Arabian Peninsula’s role in the broader narrative of human dispersal from Africa. The discovery of ancient stone tools and 18 archaeological layers has reshaped scientific understanding of prehistoric life in Southeast Arabia.

Her Excellency Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, who served as the official ambassador for the nomination, accepted the recognition on behalf of the UAE and Sharjah. “The inscription of the Faya Palaeolandscape affirms Sharjah’s contribution to the cradle of early human history,” she said, adding that the findings at Faya stand as a testament to the ingenuity of early human communities.

This achievement follows more than three decades of research and excavation led by the Sharjah Archaeology Authority, in collaboration with global academic institutions including the University of Tübingen and Oxford Brookes University. The work has been integral to UNESCO’s Human Evolution, Adaptations, Dispersals and Social Developments (HEADS) program since 2014.

“This inscription is the culmination of scientific rigor, cultural stewardship, and international cooperation,” said Eisa Yousif, Director-General of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority. “Faya now belongs to all the peoples of the world, just as it did more than 210,000 years ago.”

The UAE and Sharjah have committed to a long-term conservation and management plan (2024–2030) that prioritizes sustainable tourism, ongoing research, and education, in alignment with UNESCO’s standards.

There are currently 96 UNESCO World Heritage Sites across 18 Arab countries. With this addition, the World Heritage List now includes 1,226 properties of outstanding universal value in 168 nations.