By World Heritage Watch –
| Doubts About the Integrity of the New UNESCO Chief |
| Berlin, October 29, 2025 – The international NGO World Heritage Watch has expressed serious doubts about the suitability of Khaled El Enany, the designated new Director-General of UNESCO. In a letter to the organization’s member states, signed by over 50 non-governmental organizations, individuals, and academics from the culture and heritage sector, they caution against his confirmation, due on November 6. |
| During his time as Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, El Enany shared a great deal of responsibility for the demolition of large parts of the historic necropolis of Cairo and the monstrous tourism development around St. Catherine’s Monastery on the Sinai Peninsula. The grandeur of the desert landscape and the remoteness of the monastery are lost forever. Both sites are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is irresponsible to entrust someone with such a past with the top job at the organization responsible for preserving world heritage. The signatories therefore call for his appointment to be reconsidered. |
Photo: alestiklal.net
| “The El Enany case shows that UNESCO’s Executive Board must examine and weigh the moral and professional integrity of candidates for the world’s highest cultural office just as much as their abilities as diplomats and managers,” explains Stephan Dömpke, Chair of World Heritage Watch. “Unfortunately, however, the international public and especially civil society are excluded from the entire process.” |
| The signatories emphasize that they would fully support the election of an appropriate candidate for Director General from the Arab States, but one who upholds UNESCO’s values of cultural preservation, inclusivity, transparency, and the defence of human rights. |
| “But we are concerned that Dr El Enany will show the same disregard for the universal values of World Heritage sites in other cases as he has shown in his home country. More sites may be sacrificed to unlimited tourism instead of being protected,” says John Grainger, who for many years led an EU project on sustainable tourism development in the Sinai, and one of the initiators of the letter. “Dr El Enany owes an explanation of his conduct to the heritage community and the people of Egypt. Before being confirmed, the member states of UNESCO should extract a promise from him that such destruction of the common heritage of humanity will not be tolerated under his leadership.” |
| On October 16, El Enany was elected by a large majority as the future Director-General of UNESCO by the UNESCO Executive Board, the decision-making body between the General Conferences of the Member States. It comprises representatives from 57 countries. If confirmed by a majority of all 194 UNESCO member states on November 6, Dr El Enany would be the first Arab to head the UN organization for education, culture, and science. |
| Contacts:Stephan Dömpke 0151 1167-4691 (English and German)John Grainger +44 74 9578-2852 (English) |
| The full letter with the list of signatories and further background information can be downloaded here: https://world-heritage-watch.org/content/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Letter-by-WHW-to-UNESCO-27-10-2025.pdf |
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