JB Barrett/DEAL Martinique/Courtesy of UNESCO World Heritage Nomination Secretariat
Mount Pelee, an active volcano on the French island of Martinique, has been registered as a World Heritage Site.
CNN
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UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee concluded its deliberations on sites at risk and began adding new sites to its prestigious list of world heritage sites on Saturday.
The Saint Sophia Cathedral and Kiev-Pechersk Lavra complex in the historic center of Ukraine’s capital Kiev and Lviv in western Ukraine were deemed “at risk” earlier this week.
Deliberations to consider 50 sites nominated for the prestigious World Heritage List began on Saturday.
The volcanoes and forests of the Ozara-Cocoa forest massif in the Congo and the Mount Pelee and Piton mountains in Martinique, France, were selected on the first day of their inscription on the World Heritage List.
Yury Stefanyak/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images
Dormition Cathedral in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra complex in Kiev, Ukraine.
The List of World Heritage Sites in Danger includes sites threatened by forces such as armed conflict, natural disasters, and pollution.
St. Sophia’s Cathedral, built in the 11th century and decorated with eye-catching mosaics and frescoes, and its associated monastic buildings are on the danger list, along with the nearby monastic complex Kiev Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Cave Monastery. added.
The historic center of Lviv, located near the Polish border and consisting of a 5th century castle, synagogue and various other religious buildings, was also added to the list.
One report said the decision was made “due to the threat of destruction posed by a Russian attack.” Statement from UNESCOIt emphasized that both countries have been under constant threat since the beginning of the invasion.
“These locations, facing the risk of direct attack, are also vulnerable to the shock waves caused by the bombing of the two cities,” the UNESCO statement continues.
The statement further said that the inclusion of these sites would pave the way for “additional financial and technical assistance to implement new emergency measures, in line with the measures already taken by Ukraine together with UNESCO.” added.
The decision to add the Ukrainian site came shortly after the commission chose not to register it. italian city venice And its lagoon was also added to the same list.
Congo’s Ozala-Cocoa forest massif was inscribed on Saturday as debate turned to candidates for the World Heritage List. It is one of Africa’s oldest parks and one of the world’s largest rainforests.
On the French island of Martinique, it was announced on the first day of deliberations that the volcano and forest of Mount Pelee and the Piton Mountains in the north of the island would also be added to the list.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, an existing World Heritage Site, has been expanded to include the Cat Ba Islands, the country’s largest limestone archipelago. It is currently listed as one of his sites in Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Islands. Halong Bay was first recognized in 1994.
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An African forest elephant in the Lekoli River in Congo’s Ozara-Cocoa National Park.
The registration of Madagascar’s Tsingy de Bemalaha National Park, which consists of five protected areas, has also been expanded to include Andrejuana Dry Forest, which is found only on the Indian Ocean island.
The committee will consider remaining candidates over the next few days, including a Viking-era tree-ring fort in Denmark and a 2,000-year-old earthwork in Ohio.
According to UNESCO, to be added to the World Heritage List, a site must have “outstanding universal value.”
To qualify, a site must meet at least one of a specific list of criteria. The criteria are “regularly revised by the Commission to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself”.
CNN’s Marnie Hunter and Francesca Street contributed to this report.