The Ministry of Culture has coordinated with the Fujairah Government to advance the nomination of Wadi Wurayah National Park for UNESCO World Heritage status during the ongoing committee meeting. A delegation from the Fujairah Environment Authority is participating in the session that runs from July 19 to 29 in Busan, South Korea, according to Gulf News. The participation allows direct engagement on the site’s outstanding universal value as a natural heritage location. UNESCO records place the initial submission of the nomination on the tentative list on Sept. 19, 2021. The Ministry of Culture, Fujairah Government follow up on Wadi Wurayah UNESCO World Heritage nomination has focused on criteria that recognize significant ecological and biological processes at the site.
Wadi Wurayah National Park covers 220 square kilometres in the Hajar Mountains approximately 45 kilometres from Fujairah City, Gulf News data shows. The protected area supports more than 1,099 recorded species of flora and fauna that include 216 plant species, 114 bird species, 20 mammal species and 30 reptile and amphibian species. Perennial springs and a natural waterfall sustain the ecosystem in the arid mountain environment. The Fujairah Environment Authority has highlighted these features in the nomination dossier submitted through the UAE National Commission for UNESCO.
Rare and endangered species that inhabit the park comprise the Arabian tahr, Blanford’s fox and caracal, a Gulf News assessment found. The only known habitat in the UAE for the wild orchid Epipactis veratrifolia lies within the reserve boundaries. Scientific research conducted at the site has resulted in the rediscovery of rare species and documentation of previously unknown organisms. The park functions as a living laboratory for biodiversity studies in the Arabian Peninsula.
The nomination builds upon earlier designations that began with protected area status in 2009, according to UNESCO figures. Wadi Wurayah gained recognition as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 2010 and became the UAE’s first national park in 2013. UNESCO declared the location a Man and the Biosphere Reserve in 2018, marking the second such site in the country. These successive steps have strengthened the case presented to the World Heritage Committee.
Officials have framed the nomination around the site’s combination of ancient geological formations, perennial freshwater systems and preserved mountain desert habitats that evolved over thousands of years. The World Heritage Centre lists the criteria as including natural phenomena and outstanding examples of ongoing ecological processes. Fujairah authorities have coordinated with national bodies to address committee questions during the Busan session. The process reflects structured follow-up on the original 2021 tentative listing.
Wadi Wurayah also holds cultural significance through its proximity to Al Bidyah Mosque, identified as the UAE’s oldest standing mosque, Gulf News reported. Local communities have maintained historical connections to the landscape for generations. The integrated natural and cultural elements form part of the comprehensive nomination file under review. Decisions on inscriptions from the current session are scheduled for conclusion by the end of July.
