Protests erupt at world heritage site in India's Orissa State over hike in entry fees

Officials at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) must be disappointed today if they thought that their implementation of increased entry fees at listed monuments was going to be trouble-free. While ASI spokespersons' assertion that the new entry fees are in line with the cost to visit heritage sites in other countries may be true, this did not stop protesters from massing at the gates to the UNESCO-designated Sun Temple at Konarak in Orissa State.

Sun Temple, Konarak *

Concerned that the increased entry fees would deter tourists from visiting the site, local residents effectively shut down the ticket counter for much day on April 2, 2016. While they finally agreed to end their demonstration after receiving the promise of a meeting with site administrators next week. Expect more protests if the ASI does not back down.

At a broader level, there is a lesson here for any country seeking to impose across-the-board changes to heritage site entry fees. Given that the economic importance of heritage sites is likely to vary widely from one community to the next, early consultation and a sensitive approach to implementation are vital if the changes are to be accepted.

* Photo credit: By Souvik Burman - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28028170

Locals at risk of being priced out of the real estate market in UNESCO-designated George Town

Although many real estate investors are attracted by shiny new buildings, heritage properties can attract a substantial premium, despite higher maintenance costs and potential restrictions on alterations and redevelopment.

George Town Harbour (credit: Hajotthu)

As reported this week by The Star Online, the value of heritage properties in UNESCO-designaed George Town, a British colonial era city on the Straits of Malacca in Malaysia dating from the late 18th century, has increased by 37 to 157 percent since 2008. With surging prices the result of strong demand from Malaysians living overseas and Singaporeans, local residents risk being priced out of the market - an all too common problem for those who reside in or near a world heritage site.

Is a UNESCO world heritage site causing a "dead zone" in the Irish countryside?

The complicated interplay between the preservation and protection of cultural heritage on the one hand and the priorities of local communities on the other was brought to light this week in the Republic of Ireland. Fifty kilometres north of Dublin sits the largest and most important concentration of prehistoric megalithic art in Europe. Brú na Bóinne, or the Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne, which was inscribed as a world heritage site in 1993.

Brú na Bóinne (credit:Pasztilla at Hungarian Wikipedia)

Today, some local residents are complaining about what they consider to be a heavy-handed approach by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, resulting in a highly restrictive approach to the granting of new building permits. While talk of these restrictions leading to the creation of "dead zones" in the countryside sounds alarmist, the issue highlights the recurring challenge of securing - and sustaining - buy-in on the part of those living near a world heritage site.

Rock art at Brú na Bóinne (credit: Barbara and Eugenio)

Often framed as a problem that is particularly acute in poorer countries - where local populations may be marginalized or even forcibly displaced as a result of a heritage designation, the problem can arouse equally strong emotions in a rich world context, as we are seeing here.

The challenge, as always, is to chart a course whch takes into account the legitimate concerns of local populations whose goodwill can help significantly in managing and protecting a world heritage site, while ensuring that the broader public interest in preserving heritage for future generations is maintained.

An uncertain road ahead for residents of Algiers' kasbah

On the shores of the Mediterranean, just a short flight from Western Europe, Algiers' kasbah could easily be a top-rated tourist attraction. Inscribed as a worldheritage site in 1992, the kasbah (or medina) dates from the 4th century BCE, when it was established as a Carthaginian trading post, and is brimming over with the remains of a citadel, mosques and Ottoman-style palaces.

Yet recent history has not been kind to the kasbah, or Algeria more generally. An armed Islamist insurrection in the 1990s led to tens of thousands of deaths and widespread atrocities both on the part of militant groups and security forces. Within Algiers, the kasbah was a militant stronghold, and while the conflict may have largely ended by 2000, the kasbah continues to struggle with a legacy of decay and neglect.

The New York Public Library. (1670). De Stadt Algier.*

Crumbling buildings are everywhere as is evidence of poor sanitation and decaying infrastructure. While many observers are despairing of ever seeing positive change, there is some indication that the tide may be turning. Since 2012 authorities have allocated almost USD1 billion for the kasbah's rehabilitation. However, these efforts are not being welcomed in all quarters. Some complain at being forcibly relocated while renovation work is being carried out as well as producing rampant real estate speculation.

The jury is still out at whether the Algerian authorities can protect the kasbah's unique historical heritage without irrevocably changing the character of a vibrant, tight-knit community whose forebears have lived in the kasbah for generations.

* Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-e424-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Defeat for heritage campaigners in Liverpool

While heritage campaigners have chalked up a number of victories in the United Kingdom in recent years, Liverpool was the site of a defeat this week as the High Court ruled against those seeking to halt a major commercial development project on the Eastside of Lime Street, part of a world heritage site that comprises the city's historic centre and docklands.

SAVE Britain's Heritage, spearheading the fight against the development, which includes a new hotel, shops, restaurants and a student residence, remains committed in its opposition, indicating that it will appeal the ruling to save historic buildings on Lime Street that are slated for demolition.

As is often the case in conflicts over commercial development in heritage districts, the challenge lies in preserving the traditional character and historical integrity of an area without stunting the dynamism that can come with responsible commercial development.

Conflict in Chichen-Itza: Handicraft vendors and local authorities square off

The Yucatan Times reported this week on simmering conflict at the pre-hispanic City of Chichen-Itza, a world heritage site on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. The problem is a familiar one. While visitor numbers have surged since the site's designation in 2011, local communities claim that have not benefited from the boost to the region's economy, given that tourists for the most part visit Chichen-Itza on day tours from Merida or Cancun, returning to their luxury hotels on the coast immediately following their visit.

Not surprisingly, local people have sought to derive economic advantage from the tourist influx, with vendors thronging the site to sell souvenirs and handicrafts. However, unfortunately the lack of controls has left many tourists feeling harassed by hard-selling vendors, which in turn has led to what some claim is a ham-fisted reaction by authorities.

While there are indications that Yucatan State Governor Rolando Zapata Bello is working with the National Institute of Anthropology and History to develop an action plan to address the problems at Chichen-Itza, the challenge, as seen at other world heritage sites where local communities have been marginalized (e.g. Petra in Jordan), is to follow through and implement concrete measures that balance the interests of all concerned: government authorities, the tourism sector, local communities as well visitors.

Let's hope Governor Zapata is successful in his efforts to achieve this balance in Chichen-Itza.

Heritage villages under threat in Malaysia?

Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits of Malacca, are one of four world heritage sites in Malaysia. As noted by UNESCO, the influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible, reflecting 500 years of trade and other exchanges.

Today the cities receive millions of visitors, yet nearby traditional Malay villages are being razed to make way for the rapid urban development that is now nearly ubiquitous throughout South-East Asia. However, as recently reported by the Rakyat Post, developers plans are sparking a lively debate as to what constitutes heritage, and prompting one opposition politician to claim that the state government's "idea of preserving heritage is all about the Unesco World Heritage site, but what about these kampungs [villages] with a living heritage?”

Of course, the tension between "living heritage" and "preserved heritage" is not unique to Malaysia, and it is difficult to get the balance right. However, it is worth making the effort. While everyone can point to a historically significant site which is being overrun by developers and hustlers, there is something sterile and unsatisfying to visit a site that has been stripped bare of the social and community fabric from which it was created.

World heritage site in Kyiv becomes the latest battleground in the Ukraine-Russia conflict

In the face of continuing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, the latest flashpoint is far from the battlefields of Donetsk but no less symbolic to both sides in the conflict.

The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, a world heritage site consisting of an ensemble of monastic buildings dating back to the 11th century near the banks of the Dnieper River, is in the middle of a tug of war between the Kyiv and Moscow Patriarchates of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Broadly representing the two principal communities in Ukraine's divided society, the Patriarchates are at odds on other issues as well, although this conflict is likely to be particularly divisive.

While the Kyiv Patriarchate has reportedly collected more than 10,000 signatures in favour of transferring control over the site, not surprisingly the Moscow Patriarchate is strongly opposed, likening the move to the clampdown on religious activities during the Soviet period.

At this stage the prospects for a compromise do not look promising.

Yangon: Prime candidate for world heritage status?

For anyone who has been in Yangon recently, it is clear that it is a city undergoing dramatic change. After decades of somnolence under Myanmar's military government, the recent political and economic thaw is producing rapid, seemingly uncontrolled development. During my visit earlier this year, traffic jams were among the worst I've experienced and construction hoardings were ubiquitous.

Typical street in central Yangon

However, Yangon remains a gem by any measure. Not only does it boast the highest number of colonial-era buildings anywhere in South-East Asia but its Shwedagon Pagoda should be on everyone must-visit list. As such, I agree with UNESCO National Project Officer Daw Ohnmar Myo's assessment, reported this week in the Myanmar Times, that Yangon is a prime candidate to be listed as a world heritage site.

Colonial-era building near Yangon's waterfront

While such a designation could also help to ensure protection of the city's many architectural treasures, whether an application is ever made remains an open question. Not only is there some confusion as to which level of government should take responsibility for coordinating the application, but certain business interests are unlikely to appreciate the limits on development that a world heritage designation would entail. Let's hope the case for heritage preservation wins the day.

Yangon's famed Shwedagon Pagoda

Commercialism and conservation go head-to-head in Florence

If more proof were needed of the fine line between politics and cultural heritage, one need look no further than the furore that has erupted in Florence following the receet disclosure of a letter sent by UNESCO to Italian authorities. Echoing concerns that have already been voiced locally for some time, the letter raised concerns regarding the sale of historical palaces, the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects, including a high-speed train, and the lack of a tourism strategy for one Italy's most picturesque cities.

While it is difficult anywhere to get the balance right between preservation on the one hand and commerce on the other, unfortunately the lure of unbridled commercialism is particularly hard to resist where massive tourist volumes provide the temptation of easy money to individuals and businesses alike.

More effective management required at Petra world heritage site

When making arrangements to spend a four-week holiday Jordan in July 2014 during the fasting month of Ramadan, I got more than a few quizzical looks and questions: Isn't four weeks too long? Won't everything be closed? Will it be safe? Won't it be unbearably hot? And so on and so on...

The Temple of Hercules in Amman

The truth is that Jordan is an amazing country which everyone should visit. Quite apart from the A-list of tourist sites, notably Petra, Wadi Rum, Jerash and the Dead Sea, Jordan has a tremendous variety of attractions, ranging from ancient ruins and castles to hiking and canyoning in breathtakingly beautiful nature reserves. Moreover, the country's sprawling capital Amman is also a well worth a few days' visit, whether to explore the Citadel, enjoy the world's best falafel at Hashem Restaurant or relax in a trendy café on Rainbow Street. And did I mention that there are few places I've visited where I felt safer or more welcome.

Souvenir stall inside a tomb

However, I do have one small complaint. The ancient Nabatean city of Petra, a world heritage site which receives more than half a million visitors each year, appears to be experiencing significant challenges related to the effective management of the site. These include:

• The proliferation of shops and kiosks throughout the property without any apparent regard for the physical impact on the site’s temples and monuments. In some cases shops and kiosks have been established within temples or ground in the vicinity of temples and monuments has been levelled or otherwise physically altered to facilitate the construction of kiosks.

• Ubiquitous and often aggressive solicitation of visitors by local community members for services such as donkey or camel rides or for the purchase of souvenirs.

• Minimal control of the property exercised by authorities, whose presence appears limited chiefly to access points to ensure that visitors have purchased a ticket prior to entering the site.

I understand that these problems are linked to the authorities' inability to address the aspirations and grievances of the local Bedouin community, many of whose members were displaced from the area years ago and now earn a living from visitors by selling trinkets, refreshments or animal rides. In this regard Petra stands in contrast to the many other world heritages sites I have visited around the world, including several in countries facing development challenges even greater than those confronting Jordan.

Child hawking postcards near Petra's Royal Tombs

I hope the Jordanian authorities take steps to address these issues, both for the sake of the ruins themselves and the local population.

A bridge too far? The benefits and risks of ending Mompox' splendid isolation

Santa Cruz de Mompox, a town in North-Western Colombia on the banks of the Magdalena river, is a finely preserved colonial gem founded by the Spanish in 1540. A world heritage site since 1995, Santa Cruz rewards visitors with beautiful architecture set in an awe-inspiring natural environment.

Yet, as noted by Colombia Reports this week, the town's cultural legacy in under threat by the Colombian government's plans to bring modernity to Mompos, as it known locally, by building a new bridge across the Magdalena River to Magangue and the country's larger urban centres beyond. At 12km long and costing upwards of USD75 million, the "Bridge of Reconciliation" President Juan Manuel Santos is characterizing is dividing Momposinos. While many welcome the economic benefits that will come with improved transportation links, others worry about the loss of Mompos' unique identity and heritage. 

Hopefully a middle way can be found that balances local residents' aspirations with a strong commitment to the preservation of the area's rich cultural and nature heritage.

The ethics of elephant tourism in Luang Prabang

Next month will mark 20 years since the Town of Luang Prabang was inscribed as a world heritage site by UNESCO. The town, located in mountainous northern Laos, Luang Prabang became the capital of the Kingdom of "Million Elephants" (Lane Xang) between the 14th and 16th centuries, and more recently came to prominence during the period of the French Protectorate in the late 19th century.

Given the growing number of visitors to the area since the town's world heritage designation, it is not surprising that the anniversary has become the focal point for an "elephant caravan", in which 20 elephants and their mahouts (handlers) will parade through Luang Prabang on December 9 following a cross-country march.

As reported this weekend by The Guardian, the march is being organized by a conservation charity, ElefantAsia, and is meant to raise awareness of the plight of elephants in Laos.

However, the march is also serving to re-ignite an ongoing debate about the ethics of elephant-focussed tourism. While its proponents argue that domesticated elephants have long been a feature of the economies and culture of South-East Asian countries such as Laos, and tourism is "gentler" than logging, elephants' traditional profession in Laos. However, many conservationists and animal welfare advocate point to the cruel techniques used to break elephants for a career in tourism and the health hazards for elephants who are forced to carry tourists on their back.

 

Jungle hire with elephant at ENR

While I have no experience of elephant tourism in Laos, I've seen many elephants giving rides to tourists in Northern Thailand, and it is truly a sorry sight. My recommendation, for what it's worth, would be stay away from the more exploitative forms of elephant tourism, in favour of organizations like the Elephant Nature Park (ENR) in Thailand, which ensures that any interaction between tourists and elephants is undertaken in a respectful and minimally intrusive manner.

New code of conduct for visitors to Angkor Wat

One would hardly think it necessary, but it appears that tourists visiting the Angkor Wat world heritage site in Cambodia need to reminded not to expose "sex organs" while visiting the temple complex.

Following a string of incidents in which foreign tourists have been caught in various stages of undress, local authorities have reportedly issued new conduct guidelines for visitors. In addition to requirements that would not be out of place at any religious site, the guidelines warn tourists that "any act of looting, breaking or damaging Angkor, or exposing sex organs and nudity in public area is a crime punishable by law."

You've been warned!

Japan's balancing act between past and present at UNESCO

Trevor Kennedy's recent opinion article in The Diplomat, a Tokyo-based current affairs magazine, is well worth a read for the light its casts on the role of politics and power in the nomination of world heritage sites. With 15 cultural heritage sites and 4 natural heritage sites to its credit, Japan has had a remarkably successful track record. In part, this is a function of its wealth. As Mr. Kennedy points out, heritage site applications are overwhelmingly submitted by rich countries. Another important factor is Japan's membership on UNESCO's World Cultural Committee, which is composed of 21 states and whose members' nominations are significantly more likely to succeed than other countries.

Yet, Japan appears ready to risk its position by allowing its ongoing conflict with neighbouring states over its wartime record increasingly to colour its interventions at UNESCO. Recent examples include the withholding of contributions to the agency in protest at the decision to inscribe Chinese documents pertaining to the Nanking Massacre to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, and the tendering of documents for inclusion in the same register pertaining to the Soviets' use of forced Japanese labour in Siberia after the war.

While invariably there is a political dimension to any country's interpretation and presentation of its cultural heritage, Japan is under more scrutiny than most given the simmering resentment over past atrocities that continues to colour Japan's bilateral relations with countries throughout South-East Asia. In this context, Mr. Kennedy is right to argue that "Japan needs to walk a fine line as it responds to efforts to politicize UNESCO’s work."

More conflict at the UNESCO Executive Board meeting

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict was not the only source of enmity at this week's meeting of the UNESCO Executive Board in Paris. Reverberations of Yugoslavia's disintegration were also felt as Kosovo lobbied successfully to have its bid to become a full member state recommended to proceed to a final vote at UNESCO's general conference in November, despite fierce opposition by Serbia and its allies. 

In reaction to the Executive Board's decision Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic aptly characterized the binary view of national heritage which seems to go hand in hand with nationalist rivalry the world over: "The aim is to falsify history and to create a new state, a national and cultural identity which implies the total extinction of everything that testifies about the Serb presence [in Kosovo],"

New front in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict opens at the UNESCO Executive Board

As violence ratchets up once again in the Occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, new fronts continue to open in the seemingly endless spiral of conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. As reported by the New York Times, the latest battlefield UNESCO's Executive Board which met this week to discuss a resolution brought forward by six Arab states to reclassify the Western Wall as part of the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's old city.

While in the end the Executive Board agreed only to a resolution condemning “Israeli aggressions and illegal measures against the freedom of worship and Muslims’ access to their holy site", the episode starkly demonstrates how political forces - on all sides - harness exploit cultural and religious heritage in pursuit of their particular interests and objectives.

Adding arms to Venus de Milo: Harsh criticism of ongoing restoration work at Chartres Cathedral

As recently reported by The Telegraph newspaper, divergent perspectives on the restoration of ancient monuments has erupted into a war of words targeting a multi-year project to lighten the interior of ChartresCathedral. The cathedral, a world heritage site since 1979, dates from the 12th century and is widely viewed as representing the apex of French Gothic art.

While the criticism has originated principally from American architects and historians, including one who termed the project a cultural travesty tantamount to “adding arms to the Venus de Milo”. Other commentators claim that the approach adopted flies in the face of the 1964 Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites, while Le Figaro, a Paris newspaper, likened the experience of visiting the "lightened" cathedral to watching a film in a cinema where they haven’t switched off the lights.

However, other commentators in France have defended the project, and at the end of the day the whole affair may say more about differing Gallic and Anglo-Saxon sensibilities when it comes to the restoration of historical buildings than the rights and wrongs of this particular project.

Co-management scheme at Uluru world heritage site under review

Uluru, formerly known as Ayer's Rock, is an immense monolith set in the flatlands of Central Australia. A world heritage site since 1987, Uluru is illustrative of the conflict that often arises at such locales between cultural protection on the one hand and tourism development on the other.

As the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported this week, Australia handed the site back to its traditional indigenous owners 30 years ago, and it has been co-managed with the Australian federal government ever since. The relationship between the co-managers has been marked by tensions, yet ironically it is also held up as a model for joint-management schemes elsewhere.  

In this context, Parks Australia has recently launched a review of the arrangement that will focus on such questions as how the park is managed and how park staff and traditional owners interact with each other. Let's hope that the conclusions and recommendations arising from the review are widely circulated, given that conflict between the interests of local communities and tourism authorities is a recurring problem in heritage sites the world over.