My life and that of my colleagues have been affected strongly by two events.
We tried to use those two events positively as civil society activists and lovers of Aden city
The first event was when the Education Office wanted to abolish Al-Badri historic school.
We all came to the location, managed to prevent the destruction but unfortunately wood was stolen from the site, which is dates back to 1854.
This was the first private school in Aden and was established to teach children of the expatriates in the city,
although locals also studied in this school as there was no other school available
Four years since the attempted destruction of the site in 2009, we found the stolen wooden pieces while renovating Aden Minaret.
I was looking for wood with specific characteristics to be used in the renovation and we found them in the market.
Upon close examination I was shocked to find they were the wooden pieces stolen from Al-Badri School. Even then I could do nothing about it!
Had the concerned authorities cared those items would have been seized for their historic value. But all we could do is use them to renovate the minaret after buying them off the thieves!
This time the site was near Al-Gohari market which was a part of the defining line of old Aden city.
Some influential people simply took over this land to start up their personal investment.
As civil society organizations we lobbied against this illegal act and managed to stop the influential person from taking over the land.
But what really saddened me was when these influential people tried to buy my silence and that of my colleagues in return for some money so that this “investor” carries on with his project.
What is happening in Aden is happening in all Yemeni cities and happens all around the world.
Yet there is absolute unsatisfied greed to benefit from this city for personal gains through building constructions and investment centers.
We have to remember that there is a particularity for this city that we must preserve, one that we are instructed by God to protect as human beings when he said: 'In-The-Name-of-Allah-The-Most-Beneficent-The-Most-Merciful “O mankind, We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes so that you might come to know one another.”
Based on this concept was also the Universal Declaration of Human Rights issued in 1948 to confirm the characteristic of diversity among people.
Followed by all UNESCO projects emphasizing that cultural entities of all peoples in the world is the essence of the nation’s cultural identity.
Hence, life goes on and a variety of cultural projects and constructions take place around the world celebrating this global diversity one way or another.
There are many factors that come into play distinguishing each country from the other.
We call on all to consider this diversity and practice preserving it as a cultural heritage of every society, because it is a positive harmless diversity.
For example, when I differ as a person with my colleague I am only completing him or her, I add to them. We can find this kind of diversity not only in people but in cities all over the world.
Take a look at Venice, or other Italian countries. Check out Amsterdam or Paris. Each city has its own identity, character and affiliation.
We say this city is this and this while the other is that and that, and they don’t cancel each other, in fact they complement each other.
Consider this: if we did not care about the cultural diversity or endorse it and deploy it the right way, how will the world look like?
It will be a freak show of cement buildings with no meanings, spirit or history.
What will we carry to our future generations? What will be our legacy if we build the world in an identical manner we will have disconnected ourselves from the past and deprived our future generations of their heritage.
Greetings to you Oh Aden, as you extend to all your love strings braided with true undeterred passion…
This city, is a historic city as ancient as history. This city embraces a cultural heritage that is not treated as deserved currently.
This city, which is located southeast of the Arabian Peninsula towards the entrance of the Red Sea, God destined it to be the attraction of the world.
It embraced the world’s merchants of all nationalities who entrusted this city with all their values, traditions and heritage which they brought with them.
Dating back to pre-historic era with evidence through the many monuments such as the Saharig [water reservoirs], Sirah Fort, historic mosques and ancient temples left by the many casts on this land.
The architecture has unique characteristics in Aden that could not be found in any other city.
This city was occupied by the British from 1839 to 1967. The Brits left modern administrative and civil characteristics in this land. In addition to its strategic location, this has made it a pioneer city in the Arabian Peninsula.
These landmarks exist until today but are now being tampered with one way or another, extending to everything that is linked to ancient or near history.
There is a systematic tampering and is not spontaneous, as there is a lack of general vision or policy that should have been in place to protect this diverse multifaceted heritage.
We are not the only city in Yemen suffering from this. Old Sana’a city is suffering also, so does Shibam and another city threatened to be removed from the world hieratge list which is Zabid.
Other parts of the world there are landmarks being destroyed one way or another by systematic or unsystematic destruction methodologies that would harm the cultural and personal identity of these cities.
These are examples from the world. Tampering with heritage is not a personal problem limited to Aden or Yemen, it is an international concern.
Therefore, international organizations came together to seek solutions for this, as messing up our heritage will deprive humanity of the diversity and generational communication and transferring this legacy to the present and future.
The problem is that we don’t view this cultural diversity positively. Every time we cry out demanding the protection of Aden’s landmarks we are called fanatics who are stuck in the past living an illusion that you are unique!
Indeed we are unique because this heritage does not only belong to Aden. [slide: So what if we are culturally different?]. It belongs to the entire country and to humanity as a whole and must be protected.
We may differ politically and we organize this difference through laws and regulations and work on the democratic open space.
Then why not differ culturally? [slide: We have the right to cultural diversity]. Why can’t Aden keep its distinctive identity? And so does Sana’a, and Italy and Zabid…?? [applause]
This diversity carries us from the misconceptions regarding dealing with our heritage and takes us to the positive ways.
If we lose our various landmarks we will be destroying our generations chance of connecting with their past.
Imagine how it feels when elderly people like me brag and talk about places in Aden to my grandchildren while they can’t see any of the landmarks I am telling them about. [applause]
What are the reasons that make us create the Association of Yemeni history and effects of Aden and demand Aden city’s right to its cultural identity.
This is a demand triggered by this reality. If we are culturally different, we preserve the secret to survival and diversity. We also protect these generations’ right to its heritage.
We nurture a source of income that would contribute to the country’s development. The entire world is suffering a crisis in dealing with such legacy.
Even though it is our right to be different. We have the right to maintain our identity through our differences and affiliations.
When I disconnect from the past, we are disconnecting from our future as we deprive our future generations from their identity.
Let us be different. Let me defend Aden, work with me to protect Aden’s heritage. Let us differ and protect this diversity because it protects our identity and affiliation... Thank you.