Venice, Italy, is turning 100 years old this year, and some people are concerned that because of its aging city center, the UNESCO World Heritage site may be in danger.
The World Heritage Committee might include the city of Venice in its list of sites facing the risk of being destroyed.
Advisors to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have recommended that Venice be added to the list of World Heritage sites at risk.
The recommendation (or draft decision) was made Monday after the organization completed its annual report on the conservation of fish stocks. A discussion about the possible inclusion of the legendary sinking Italian city on the list of endangered sites has been placed on the preliminary agenda of a UNESCO plenary session that will take place from December 16 to 31. July, reports CNN Travel. The final decision is made by the World Heritage Committee.
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If the UNESCO proposal is accepted, Venice and its lagoon (Italy) will be included in the list of endangered World Heritage sites, because the city is threatened, identified and potentially threatened by individual threats and their cumulative impact.
The announcement was largely prompted by the fact that large cruise ships continue to cross Venice’s fragile lagoon and Giudecca Canal to dock in the city’s historic center, even though the Italian government has announced that such activities will be banned in March 2021.
The government then also issued a tender for the construction of a future marine terminal outside the lagoon. Meanwhile, there are plans to divert large ships to Margera’s industrial port, which is also in the lagoon, but at least outside the city centre.
However, no concrete steps have been taken since the resignation of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and the subsequent collapse of the Italian government in January. Margera’s harbor is still not ready to receive cruise ships, so the first cruises to set sail again this summer will continue to dock in the city center, despite protests from residents.
The UNESCO commission wrote in its report: Although there is already a legal ban on vessels over 40 000 gt entering the Venice lagoon, this ban has no practical effect as there is no alternative way for these large vessels to dock. The State party should continue to urgently seek a permanent solution, giving priority to the option of a complete ban on large ships entering the lagoon and preferably diverting them to more suitable ports in the region.
A cruise ship is passing through Venice, Italy. (Photo courtesy of Jan-Otto/iStock Unreleased)
While cruises on the waterways of this ancient city degrade its integrity, the Heritage Protection Commission has also found that other factors degrade Venice’s intrinsic qualities. It describes the complex consequences of mass tourism, the steady decline in population, and the major shortcomings in governance and co-management that have led to a significant loss of Venice’s historical authenticity.
The worsening effects of human intervention combined with climate change on the lagoon’s fragile ecosystem threaten to lead to irreversible changes, the report said.
UNESCO also told CNN: Climate change (flooding and sea level rise) affecting the fragile lagoon ecosystem is also an issue, as are unplanned development and construction projects and governance and management issues. Here it is: Despite its efforts, the State party has not demonstrated sufficient improvements in conservation and further progress in mitigation.
The possible inclusion of this destination on UNESCO’s list of endangered areas may seem like a punishment, but may in fact prove beneficial. This status would allow the city of Venice and Italy’s central government to seek technical and even economic assistance from the international community to preserve the city’s outstanding universal value, a spokesman told CNN.{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”FAQPage”,”mainEntity”:[{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”What is the World Heritage in Danger list?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:” The World Heritage in Danger list is a list of properties that are considered to be at risk of losing their cultural and natural heritage values. The list was created by the World Heritage Committee, which meets every two years to review the state of conservation for properties on the World Heritage List. What is the World Heritage Committee? The World Heritage Committee is a body of representatives from each of the UNESCO member states. It meets every two years to review the state of conservation for properties on the World Heritage List. What is the World Heritage Committee’s role? The World Heritage Committee is responsible for identifying properties that are in danger of losing their cultural and natural heritage values.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Why is Venice Italy a World Heritage Site?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:” Venice is a city in Italy that was built on 118 small islands. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”When was Venice added to Unesco?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:” Venice was added to Unesco in 1980.”}}]}
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the World Heritage in Danger list?
The World Heritage in Danger list is a list of properties that are considered to be at risk of losing their cultural and natural heritage values. The list was created by the World Heritage Committee, which meets every two years to review the state of conservation for properties on the World Heritage List. What is the World Heritage Committee? The World Heritage Committee is a body of representatives from each of the UNESCO member states. It meets every two years to review the state of conservation for properties on the World Heritage List. What is the World Heritage Committee’s role? The World Heritage Committee is responsible for identifying properties that are in danger of losing their cultural and natural heritage values.
Why is Venice Italy a World Heritage Site?
Venice is a city in Italy that was built on 118 small islands. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
When was Venice added to Unesco?
Venice was added to Unesco in 1980.
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