ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to debate whether Yemen has the capabilities to preserve its immense heritage. Vast, diverse and ancient, Yemen's rich heritage contrasts vividly with its current international reputation as a haven for terrorists and a hotbed of internal political unrest. Many Yemenis realise and understand the importance and value of the heritage of their homeland, often cited as the origin of all Arab ethnicity and culture by Arab citizens of the Arabian Peninsula. The chapter discusses how inadequate efforts lead to insufficient preservation. Zabid's de-listing would represent two failures: first, a lack of success in protecting and preserving the city itself, and second, a breakdown in national cooperative efforts to maintain and showcase a unique facet of Yemeni culture. It analyses the nexus of practice and politics, ultimately concluding that recent steps which have been taken are necessary, but do not suffice.
