Doha, 6 Dec. (AKI) - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is planning to establish a botanical garden in the Middle East, based on the Koran. According to a UNESCO official, the garden would be based on the scientific and aesthetic concepts contained in the holy book of Islam and represent a living display of the flora it mentions. "The botanical garden would be the first in the region and we are keen on turning this study into a reality," the official told the Dubai-based newspaper Gulf News.
It has still not been decided where it will be located. UNESCO will consult international experts, botanists and Muslim scholars as it draws up its plans for the garden, before presenting a final proposal to authorities around the region. The different elements of the garden will draw on 150 verses from the Koran which mention the "Gardens of Paradise" and which have inspired a number of Islamic gardens and influenced landscape architecture around the world, the newspaper says.
"These Koranic verses also provide a vivid description and effectively describe the basic role of water and shade, as well as plants, walls, gates and pavilions," UNESCO said in a statement. It went on to add that the garden will also be important in terms of environmental conservation, scientific research, education and recreation. As well as being used to carry out conservation training programmes, it will also spread knowledge about the Koran as part of the cultural heritage of humankind, the statement said. |
