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UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee held a press conference on 25 June 2018 at the “UNESCO Village”, a special temporary complex set up by BACA in the vicinity of Ritz Carlton Hotel. The press and media event  was attended by UNESCO Director-General, Mrs. Audery Azoulay, The 42nd meeting’s chairperson, H.E Shaikha Haya bint Rashid Al-Khalifa, and H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa, President of Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities (BACA).

The 42nd World Heritage Committee session started on 25 June 2018 in the presence of representatives of the World Committee made up of 21 countries taking part in this meeting, as well as delegations of  State Parties to the 1972 World Heritage Convention. The meeting will run on until 4 July 2018.

H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa addressed the meeting saying “It is my great pleasure and honor to welcome all of you to the 42nd World Heritage Committee session held in our beloved Kingdom of Bahrain”, arguing that this meeting is a major universal and human gathering dedicated to discuss the importance of culture to unite the whole world and anchor the identity of genuine assets of humanity. H.E added saying “It
It is thus both an honour and a pleasure for my country, Bahrain, to have been asked to host this 42nd World Heritage Committee session meeting here in Manama, thanks to the relentless efforts of gifted Bahraini talents who strongly believe in the extraordinary assets and faculties of their country to make a difference and shine in regional and world events”. H.E also said “It has been a source of enormous pride for Bahrain and Bahrainis  to share our vision with official partners concerned with world heritage, such as UNESCO, an organization that is doing an exceptional job to implement and carry out its strategies and plans and to follow up these plans, reaching goals aimed, such as the implementation of sustainable development worldwide before 2030”. H.E also thanked all those contributed to the success of this major world event, by setting a UNESCO village at the vicinity of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Thanks were extended to as well as  “Ammar Basheir Studio for Art , the Creative Design”  bureau masterminded the elaboration and idea design of the “ UNESCO Village”, given that the same office had already succeeded to promote the brand image of the Kingdom of Bahrain in international events as a representative of Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities. 
 
Mrs. Audery Azoulay, for her part, expressed sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Kingdom of Bahrain for hosting the meeting of the World Heritage Committee, lauding its pivotal role in safeguarding world heritage through the UNESCO Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage based in in Manama.  Mrs. Azoulay added that the committee will consider the safeguard of 157 world heritage sites, and discuss the possibilities of new 29 sites to be listed. UNESCO Director-General added that the meeting gathers  2000 experts specialised in cultural and natural heritage from 139 countries to exchange expertise and issues related to heritage, stressing the importance of heritage protection principles that the world community is keen to preserve for the sake of building bridges of communication between peoples and civilisations. Mrs. Azoulay said ““The idea of World Heritage has become a global norm,” pointing out that this concept became much more anchored during the 41st Session of the World Heritage Committee. Mrs. Azoulay ended her speech by noting that the voice of the young people specialised in heritage matters has become louder than before in Manama today, a city that is actually hosting the “ World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2018, held under the theme "Protecting Heritage in an Ever-Changing World”.

H.E Shaikha Haya bint Rashid Al-Khalifa said during the opening ceremony that “ After 40 years of World Heritage Committee convention’s application, we find ourselves at crossroads wondering whether this convention is still consistent and pertinent”. H.E added saying “ There is no doubt that the Convention has become a driving force in the safeguard of the much diversified natural and cultural heritage of our planet”. H.E has pointed out the 1972 World Heritage Convention is concerned with the safeguard of more than 1000 sites around the world, which is only one aspect of the convention and the work of the world heritage committee, in addition to the convention complementary projects in education, training of experts and enhancing  awareness spreading about the importance of world heritage. H.E added “ In November 2022, the 1972 World Heritage Convention will celebrate its 50th anniversary! Until then, the committee has a tremendous responsibility to review and highlight the achievements during this period of time with much scrutiny and meditation”. This would better reflect on the best ways to protect the heritage for humanity, H.E concluded.

On the Sidelines of  the 42nd meeting of the World Heritage Committee meeting, Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities also hosted the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2018, held under the theme "Protecting Heritage in an Ever-Changing World”. The scientific programme is developed in cooperation with Non-Governmental Organization Diadrasis. The forum had already received more than 990 worldwide applications, but only 30 experts will be participate in this event aimed at conveying an important message with regard to world heritage values, shedding lights on the potential possibilities provided by world heritage to support sustainable development. Bahrain is hosting also the “World Heritage Site Managers Forum 2018”,  from 21-June 28-Jun-2018 for the second time after Poland, gathering heritage site managers from all over the world build stronger bridges between the procedural core of the World Heritage system and its outer segments – those in the field whose on-going work to safeguard OUV constitute the real expression of the Convention.