The scientific committee overseeing the Third International Heritage Conference held its inaugural meeting at the Intellectual and Cultural Affairs Department of the Imam Ali Holy Shrine. The meeting focused on identifying prominent religious scholars and intellectual figures from the first half of the 14th century AH and examining their scholarly biographies, intellectual and cultural activities, research contributions, and influence on the development of knowledge and the preservation of heritage.

Sheikh Salam Al-Nasiri, Head of the Al-Alawi Complex for Islamic Research and Studies, affiliated with the Intellectual and Cultural Affairs Department, said the conference seeks to highlight the lives and scholarly contributions of distinguished figures from the Najaf scholarly community and draw lessons from their intellectual and academic legacies.

Al-Nasiri explained that the scholars selected for the conference represent the first half of the 14th century AH, spanning the period from Akhund Al-Khurasani to Sayyid Abu Al-Hasan Al-Isfahani.

The conference is scheduled to take place in mid-April 2027, coinciding with World Heritage Day. It will be held under the title, “The Jurists of Najaf Al-Ashraf (1329 AH–1365 AH): Scholarly Journey, Jurisprudential Methodology, and Civilizational Impact,” with the slogan, “Najaf Al-Ashraf: Cradle of Jurisprudence and Guardian of Heritage.”

Al-Nasiri also stated that the conference is intended to become an annual event organized by the Holy Shrine as part of its engagement with the global heritage community.

The scientific committee has set January 3, 2027, as the deadline for submitting research abstracts and has notified UNESCO of the conference schedule.