A Letter from Shibam, Yemen - Heritage Adapts!

Heritage Calls for Climate Action For centuries, the extraordinary walled city of Shibam, a World Heritage Site in Yemen, has stood as a testament to human ingenuity, resilience, and the enduring relationship between people and place. Today, however, Shibam faces growing challenges from climate change. More frequent extreme weather events, flooding, changing environmental conditions, and other pressures threaten not only its historic buildings but also the living communities that sustain this remarkable heritage. In this short film, the stewards of Shibam share a message with heritage professionals, communities, site managers, and cultural practitioners around the world: heritage cannot wait. Produced as part of the global "A Letter from Heritage" campaign, this video marks Shibam's commitment to the Heritage Adapts! pledge—a growing international movement encouraging those who care for cultural heritage to develop practical plans for adapting heritage to a changing climate. Through our work in Yemen, made possible through funding from ALIPH, HERITΛGE has witnessed first-hand both the vulnerability of cultural heritage and the determination of local communities to protect it. Shibam's message reminds us that climate adaptation is not only about safeguarding buildings and sites—it is about protecting identities, knowledge, livelihoods, and the stories that connect generations. 🌍 We invite heritage stewards everywhere to join the movement. ✍️ Take the Heritage Adapts! pledge. 📋 Develop an adaptation plan for your heritage site, place, collection, or cultural practice. 🤝 Become part of a global community working to strengthen heritage resilience. Take the pledge and join the campaign at act.heritageadapts.org/ #HeritageAdapts #ClimateAction #ClimateAdaptation #CulturalHeritage #Shibam #Yemen #WorldHeritage #UNESCO #HeritageManagement #LettersFromHeritage