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Record of the cultural heritage of the Emirate of Sharjah

Law no. (4) of 2020 AD, with regard to cultural heritage in the Emirate of Sharjah, defined intangible cultural heritage as everything produced and left behind by man and transmitted from generation to generation of cultural and intangible elements, and what he acquired of science, experience and knowledge that were transmitted to him through oral or practical practice such as arts and crafts, beliefs, customs, and traditions.

And based on what was stated in Article (44), of the same law, regarding conducting a general survey of the intangible heritage in the Emirate of Sharjah; to collect it

Get to know him and revise what is attributed to him to the Emirate, especially what is related
to the following:

Customs, traditions, social practices and forms of oral expression such as dialects, poems and stories that express the history of the Emirate
Folk arts and arts associated with traditional crafts.
Science, knowledge and practices related to society, nature and the universe.

And what was stated in Article (45), regarding the register of intangible heritage and registration in it:

The concerned authority shall establish a register of intangible heritage called the “Intangible Heritage Register for the Emirate”, and it shall determine the criteria for recording or deleting the intangible heritage and its components, and shall work to make it available to the public.
The Intangible Heritage Register includes an accurate description of each item inscribed in it, including its name, description, economic, artistic and historical value, cultural significance, and measures to protect and ensure its continuity.

What also came in Article (46) regarding the conditions for registration in the register; So that only the heritage that fulfills the following conditions is recorded in the intangible heritage register:

It is considered part of the intangible heritage inherited by individuals or a group of society.
To enhance and confirm the identity of individuals and their sense of belonging to the community.
It does not conflict with international agreements and treaties related to the protection of intangible cultural heritage or human rights, or with the requirements of mutual respect between individuals and groups of society.

And what is stated in Article (47), that the concerned authority sets standards for the authenticity of the intangible heritage, in coordination with specialized committees for each element of the intangible heritage that collects, examines and confirms its authenticity in accordance with the approved standards .

As stated in Law No. (4) of 2020 AD, a definition of tangible cultural heritage is defined as every cultural heritage that has cultural significance, whether it is immutable or movable, left behind or produced by previous civilizations or previous generations and established, manufactured, engraved, photographed, written, or built by man before the year 1900 AD.

And the definition of the cultural site, which is considered any site that includes the product of human or human labor and nature and is related to human history in one way or another. It includes cultural heritage sites, historical buildings and human complexes.

The area surrounding and adjacent to the cultural site, which is considered a natural, epidemiological, visual, or legal extension of this site and is an integral part of it, according to what is determined by the concerned authority when this site is entered in the register.

What was mentioned in Article (30) regarding the register of tangible heritage and registration in it, and the establishment of a register of tangible heritage is called the “Register of the Emirate’s tangible heritage.” Anyone who possesses tangible heritage in the Emirate must register and document it with the concerned authority within a period not exceeding two years from the date of issuance of this law, and an official document of registration shall be issued to him.

Accordingly, and in implementation of what was stated in the Cultural Heritage Law of the Emirate of Sharjah, the Sharjah Institute for Heritage established the “Register of Cultural Heritage in both its tangible and intangible parts for the Emirate of Sharjah,” in which the elements of cultural heritage are recorded, according to the following:

Cultural Heritage

tangible cultural heritage	Intangible cultural heritage
cultural sites	Customs, traditions, social practices and forms of oral expression such as dialects, poems and stories that express the history of the Emirate.
buildings	Folk arts and arts associated with traditional crafts
buildings	Science, knowledge and practices related to society, nature and the universe