MILAN – World famous popular hotspot, Venice was lucky enough to avoid placement on Unesco’s world heritage in danger list.
The UN´s cultural organization confirmed on Thursday that it had stopped short of placing Venice on the list as the participants at the annual meeting in Riyadh decided against a downgrade.
The Italian city has been under Unesco’s watch because of mass tourism and rising water levels and garnered headlines after it was reported that the agency was exploring options to place it on the list.
Commenting on the development, Italy´s Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said it was “a great victory for Italy and for common sense”.
On the other hand, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Unesco’s Director of World Heritage said the city is in danger from rising water levels, attributed to climate change, and excessive numbers of tourists.
Italian counter-measures had been deemed “insufficient”, he said.
Earlier last month, the United Nations experts warned that Italy’s Venice remains under serious threat, despite the efforts put in by the administration to preserve the fragile ecosystem. Though Venice has taken multiple steps including banning cruise ships from its lagoon and building sea walls to keep out high tides, the initiatives do not seem appealing to the experts.
In line with the same concerns, the United Nations’ culture body, UNESCO, proposed in a released document to include Venice and its lagoon on its World Heritage in Danger list.
UNESCO stated the city had not made enough progress in preventing damage from mass tourism, climate change and development projects. The agency has said the corrective measures taken by the Italian administration “are still insufficient.”
The UNESCO’s critique has also been criticised and experts say the administration has taken pragmatic steps to make the city sustainable.
The UNESCO list, which includes 55 endangered sites from across the world, is aimed at increasing conservation, according to the agency, and including a site on the list commits the United Nations to develop a plan of corrective measures jointly with local authorities and then oversee the implementation.
Previously, in 2019, UNESCO warned the city about the “damage caused by a steady stream of cruise ships,” and in 2021, the government banned the ships from entering the island’s San Marco and Giudecca canals to avoid being listed as World Heritage in Danger.
Italy is frequented by visitors and its captivating city Venice offers numerous must-visit spots for tourists. One can stroll through St. Mark’s Square, home to St. Mark’s Basilica and Campanile and glide on a gondola through enchanting canals.
History buffs can also discover the iconic Rialto Bridge which is a historic landmark and can explore Doge’s Palace, an impressive Gothic palace with stunning art. If you happen to visit the city, don’t miss the vibrant Rialto Market for local delicacies.
