Ghadames— The UNESCO World Heritage Committee (UWHC) has decided to remove the Libyan Old Town of Ghadames from the List of the World Heritage in Danger.
The decision was made on 9 July during a committee meeting in Paris, France that also removed two more properties from the list located in Madagascar and Egypt. The committee said in a statement that the removals were the result of “extensive efforts by States Parties, with UNESCO’s support, to significantly reduce threats to these sites.”
The Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay commented on the decision by saying “in recent years, UNESCO has made considerable and targeted efforts to support its African Member States. Since 2021, three sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Senegal have also been removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger.”
According to UNESCO, the Old Town of Ghadamès was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986 and has been a crossroads for major cultures of Africa and the Mediterranean basin. “The site has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 2016 due to the prevailing conflict in the country at that time, wildfires and torrential rain,” it added.
“Led by local authorities and several partners, extensive restoration works have been carried out on the property, including repairs to historic buildings, pipelines and traditional infrastructure. These activities were accompanied by efforts to strengthen local skills and governance through various training courses, as well as the development of a risk management and prevention plan.
Libya’s former representative to UNESCO, Hafez al-Walda, described the decision as historic. He told Alwasat newspaper, “the decision is not merely an administrative measure; it is an international recognition of the exceptional resilience, deep sense of belonging, and outstanding skill demonstrated by the Ghadames community and the stakeholders involved in preserving this cultural treasure.”
According to a study prepared by al-Walda, “since 2011, the residents of Ghadames have demonstrated a commitment to protecting their historic city through local initiatives aimed at restoring old buildings, rehabilitating traditional irrigation systems, and preserving the craft heritage, which constitutes an essential part of the city’s identity.”
What characterizes Ghadames in addition to its being a crossroads for major cultures of Africa and the Mediterranean basin is the resilience of its people throughout history and their struggle against the harsh environment conditions. Such resilience demonstrates how the struggle to cope up with these conditions influenced the social, economic and cultural life in Old Ghadames, and generated innovation and initiative.
For instance, the very essence of surviving the scorching sun in Ghadames by its inhabitants had been the focus of the study of “light” and “shadow” by the Libyan photographer Hakim Madi, son of the Old Town of Ghadames.
He materialized in his art exhibit titled, “The Struggle Against the Sun,” held at the Art House in Tripoli from 27 February to 9 March 2023, just how an environment whose hardships could affect the lifestyle of Ghadames’ inhabitants, their city planning, architecture, behavior and culture.
