UNESCO in it’s 37 annual session, bestowed the status of “Outstanding Universal Value” on 5 natural sites and 14 cultural locations.  Included is Japan’s Mount Fuji and Italy’s Mount Etna, the Forts of Rajasthan in India, and the Namib Sand Sea in southern Africa.

Also joining the list were the Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany, Tehran’s Golestan Palace, the Wooden Tserkvas (some of the oldest Greek churches of the area) of the Carpathian region of Poland and Ukraine. 

The UNESCO World Heritage Comittee annually selects sites based on the following criteria:

● To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;

● To be outstanding examples representing major stages of Earth’s history, including the record of life, significant ongoing geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;

● To be outstanding examples representing significant ongoing ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;

● To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.

The UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has decided to add the Ancient City of Tauric Chersonesos and its Chora to the World Heritage List.

The Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora is the 7th property of Ukraine, which was inscribed on the prestigious list.  The city was established by Greeks over 2500 years ago.  It has been nicknamed the “Russian Troy” after excavations in 1827 unearthed the ancient city.

“ICOMOS considers that Tauric Chersonese is an exceptional example of an archaeological landscape which combines the archaeological site of a Greek peripheral polis and its extended chora and that this claim to Outstanding Universal Value is justified,” the document said.

Kaesong, located just north of the border with South Korea, was the capital of the kingdom that ruled Korea from 918 to 1392. The remains of the site include 12 structures in the area, one of which s a 1000 year old school.

The Kaesong site, North Korea’s light industry center which served as the base of the Koryo dynasty (918-1392) that gave its name to modern Korea were selected for their historical and cultural significance.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization made the decision on Sunday during its World Heritage Committee’s 37th annual session held in Phnom Penh.  Golestan Palace, actually a complex of palaces in Tehran was built in Tehran in the 16th century when the Safavid Dynasty was ruling Iran and seat and home of the Kahdja Dynasty but was used by the last of the shahs, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his father Reza Shah for ceremonial occasions.  “The Golestan Palace is considered of Outstanding Universal Value because it is presented as the most complete and only remaining example of a royal palace which is an architectural masterpiece of the Qajar era,” the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) said in a statement.

Iran’s ancient citadel of Bam is scheduled to be removed from the UNESCO list of “World Heritage in Danger” after recent restoration to much of the site .  The Arg-é Bam was the largest adobe building in the world, located in Kerman of southeastern Iran. The devastation of citadel caused by the earthquake which occurred in 2003 led UNESCO to register it on the list of World Heritage in Danger.  The 2003 Earthquake in Bam destroyed more than 80 percent of the Citadel. As a World Heritage site several countries are cooperating in the reconstruction. Japan, Italy, and France are among countries which cooperated from the beginning. Japan has granted some $1,300,000 US dollars to Iran for the reconstruction, and has supported this project by sending equipment and creating the 3D plan of Bam Citadel to increase the accuracy of the renovation. Italy has funded 300,000 US dollars in the salvation project, and has dispatched a team of experts to restore the main tower of Bam. France has helped Iran by providing the map of Bam Citadel. World Bank has also granted a large sum of money to this project.

Before Earthquake

After earthquake

— During restoration: photo courtesy of TripAdvisor

According to the latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are more than 20,000 endangered species on their Red List of Threatened Species. Out of this number, seventy seven belong to Iran, and this number is 3/4^th of all animal species in Iran.

Destruction or deterioration of conditions in their natural habitats, new industries and factories, building roads in restricted areas, illegal fishing and hunting, droughts, and lack of attention by the governmental departments are among the causes that have resulted in the present situation.

Among the endangered animal species of the country, the Iranian panther and Persian Zebra are considered the most important ones.

Lack of attention and neglect by officials has resulted in the destruction of a number of historic castles on the southern islands of Iran.

One great example of a historical structure that has experienced deterioration and destruction because of neglect is Hormouz castle, which is the most important structure built during the Portuguese domination of the Gulf coast and islands. This Castle was built by a Portuguese admiral in 1507.

Another castle known as the Portuguese Castle is 400 years old and has seen major deterioration and it is in very bad condition.

Unfortunately, the restoration work that has been done a couple of times by the specialists who do not have the right training has resulted in major destructions of these sites.

Six forts of Rajasthan that date back to 8th-19th centuries have been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list.  The International Council in Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), which evaluates cultural properties for UNESCO, recommendated last month (May 2013) the inclusion of Chittaurgarh fort in Chittaurgarh district, Kumbhalgarh fort in Rajsamand, Ranthambhore fort in Sawai Madhopur, Jaisalmer fort in Jaisalmer, Amber fort in Jaipur and Gagron fort in Jhalawar on the UNESCO’s list.

These forts are examples of military architecture and the structures range from 8th to 19th century and comprise multi-gated approaches through massive and high fortification walls, palaces, temples, memorials and water reservoirs according to archeologists. The extensive fortifications that are up to 20 km in circumference exploit the contours of the hills, and specifically the river at Gagron, dense forest at Ranthambhore, and desert at Jaisalmer.

India currently has 29 heritage sites listed by UNESCO which 23 in the cultural category and six in the natural category. Last year, the Western Ghats were inscribed on the list in the natural sites category. The Majuli islands of Assam are also currently in referral stage.  The sites that have been approved this time were rejected by UNESCO last year. India’s Ministry of Culture had written to the UNESCO, objecting to the rejection as factual errors were found in the reasons listed for the rejection as reported by Times of India.

Roman structures, columns, temples and churches that date back to the 1st century are a few U.N. World Heritage sites in the northern Syrian province of Idlib. They’re known as the Dead Cities, tracing the transition from ancient pagan Rome to Christian Byzantium, and until recently, they were deserted and frozen in time. Last month, as the U.S. National Public Radio (NPR) reported, these once quiet ancient sites have now become homes for Syrians who seek refuge and a safe place from the unrest in Syria.

Recent survey by Syrian and international aid workers says there are millions of displaced Syrians inside the country. In Idlib, villages are now completely empty. These refugees have in many cases fled from one village or city to another and then to another, basically running away from the war. In most cases, these are families with small children and/or pregnant women. Many of these families now live in ancient cities among the graves and artifacts.

As international experts have been monitoring the destruction to Syria’s vast archaeological and historical heritage even before the uprising began in 2011, it is especially difficult to watch the destruction to the Dead Cities. Experts believe that not only are people now using these ghost towns as a place to live, but also as a way to make a living. Every day, remains of a site are dug up and pieces and relics are taken and sold in the international market after being transported out of Syria. It is believed that there are well-established networks for selling such artifacts in the region, and internationally. In a recent auction a Syrian Bronze Age artifact that was thought to be looted sold for $400,000.

Even though Unesco has declined to comment on reports (published in the Egyptian press as well as the Art Newspaper) that it plans to set up a regional center for world heritage in Cairo, the news has been widely reported.  A few months ago Unesco’s director general Irina Bokova discussed establishing such a center in the Egyptian capital with Mohamed Ibrahim, the minister of state for antiquities, during a recent meeting. This was reported at that time by the press and WCHV too.

Specialists at the planned venue would assist in protecting archaeological sites in Africa included on the World Heritage list. African archaeologists would also receive training in conserving and studying artifacts and monuments.