Alya Rashid Burhaima and Kate Qazi, Ph.D. in Global Studies students at Global Studies University, attended the Summer Majlis at Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village in Ras Al Khaimah on September 11, 2026, for a discussion on the role of communities in heritage conservation.
Both second year students specialize in Cultural, Visual, and Literary Studies. The event offered an opportunity to connect their academic interests with public conversations about how historic places are preserved and understood.
Titled “From Restoration to Resilience: Community-Centered Heritage Conservation,” the session featured architect and urban planner Dr. Zaki Aslan, who drew on more than 30 years of international experience in conservation, urban planning, and cultural heritage policy.
The discussion examined how conservation extends beyond restoring buildings to encompass the memories, knowledge, and relationships that give places meaning. Community members contributed perspectives, questions, and experiences, highlighting the importance of local voices in shaping the future of heritage conservation.
For Qazi, the discussion connected heritage conservation with questions central to her research on language and literature in a postcolonial context, including how meaning is transmitted and negotiated. “What was particularly valuable was to see these same issues addressed within urban planning and cultural heritage, and to consider how different disciplinary perspectives might inform my research,” she said.
Burhaima noted, “The lecture strongly connected with my research on private museums, especially the importance of community knowledge and intergenerational connection.”
For both students, attending the Majlis provided an opportunity to consider these questions within a historic setting, alongside practitioners and community members.
The Summer Majlis forms part of the wider cultural and community programming led by the Al Qasimi Foundation at Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village.
