THE CITY OF ZABID, DJOUDJ NATIONAL SANCTUARY, THE FORT AND SHALAMAR GARDENS ADDED TO THE LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER

Cairns, November 28 (No.2000-129) - The historic city of Zabid in Yemen, the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary in Senegal and the Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Pakistan were inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee which has been meeting in Cairns, Australia, since yesterday under the presidency of Peter King of Australia.

Historic City of Zabid (Yemen). A former capital of Yemen, from the 13th to the 15th century, Zabid was a city of great importance in the Arab and Muslim world for many centuries because of its Islamic university. Today the city is in decline and in a very poor state of conservation. A mission of experts has observed serious deterioration in the city’s heritage: around 40% of the city’s houses have been replaced by concrete buildings, and other houses and the ancient souk are in a deteriorating state. The Yemeni government has asked for Zabid to be inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger to facilitate its preservation.

Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (Senegal). Situated in the Senegal River delta, the Djoudj Sanctuary is a wetland of 16,000 hectares, which form a vital but fragile sanctuary for 1.5 million birds, such as the white pelican, the purple heron, the African spoonbill, the great egret and the cormorant. The sanctuary is now threatened by the invasion of a water plant, Salvinia molesta, which has crossed over the Senegal River and invaded the Diawling National Park of Mauritania. An attempt was made in June this year to use biological control methods by releasing plant-eating beetles provided by South Africa, but this has proved to be inadequate. Here too, the national authorities are backing the inscription on the List so as to facilitate their task and help them appeal for financial support from donors.

Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (Pakistan). Testimonies of the brilliant Mogul civilisation, the fort contains palaces and marble mosques decorated with mosaics and gilt. The gardens, built on three terraces with lodges, waterfalls and large ornamental ponds, are an example of a rarely equalled sophistication. Tanks built 375 years ago to supply water to the Garden’s fountains were destroyed in June 1999 to widen the road which borders the gardens on their south side. The perimeter walls of the Garden are also deteriorating. In view of the damage observed and the threat facing the site, the Committee decided to inscribe it on the List of World Heritage in Danger, in response to a request from the Pakistani government that the international community take action to safeguard the site.

The List of World Heritage in Danger now contains 30 sites throughout the world, among them natural reserves and historic sites such as Angkor (Cambodia), the National Parks of the Everglades and Yellowstone (USA), Timbuktu (Mali) and several parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

With the List of World Heritage in Danger, UNESCO intends to attract the attention of world leaders and focus public opinion on the need to preserve cultural or natural sites of universal value that are particularly threatened by natural causes or by human intervention. The list is revised annually at the meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, which this year is taking place in Australia - from November 27 to December 2. The Committee will announce new sites to be included in the World Heritage List on November 30.

 

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For more information: http://www.unesco.org/whc/