UNESCO urged to list Saint Catherine Monastery as World Heritage Site in Danger

·

World Heritage Watch (WHW) has issued an urgent open letter to UNESCO, calling on the World Heritage Committee (WHC) to place Egypt’s Saint Catherine Area on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger, warning of massive tourism developments that threaten the sacred site’s integrity.

The appeal stems from what WHW describes as the Egyptian government’s “continued failure… to uphold its commitments to the World Heritage Convention.”

The watchdog claims Egypt is attempting to turn one of the world’s most important religious and cultural landscapes into a tourism hub, and that over two decades of UNESCO leniency must come to an end.

View of the "Great Transfiguration Project" on the plain of Ar Raha, sacred ground where according to tradition the followers of Moses waited for him to return from Mt Sinai.
View of the “Great Transfiguration Project” on the plain of Ar Raha, sacred ground where according to tradition the followers of Moses waited for him to return from Mt Sinai.

“Egypt has continued to provide misleading, inconsistent or incomplete information to UNESCO, and it is time now that UNESCO is very clear that they are running out of patience,” said WHW Chair Stephan Doempke, who drafted the letter with experts who have decades of experience on the site and up-to-date information from local informants on the ground.

“The remoteness and serenity of the area, a key value of the World Heritage, must be preserved under all circumstances in order to maintain the sacred character of the landscape and enable the spiritual retreat of the monks,” Doempke added.

WHW has published detailed reports on the developments, supported by photographic evidence. It asserts that previous UNESCO calls to halt all activity until proper assessments were carried out have been ignored.

The group says the “massive impacts on the Outstanding Universal Values of the Saint Catherine Area WH Site can no longer be tolerated, and urgent and resolute action needs to be taken.”

Mount Sinai’s Saint Catherine’s Monastery shuts gates amid legal dispute over ownership
Saint Catherine’s Monastery. Photo: Joonas Plaan / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0.

The group also raises concern about Egypt’s recent nomination of Khaled El-Enany, a former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, for the role of UNESCO Director-General, warning of a conflict of interest.

“It would be ironic to have the DG overseeing the WH Convention from a country that has so signally failed to uphold that convention and not only at Saint Catherine,” WHW said.

The letter, addressed to the WHC ahead of its annual meeting this week, outlines a set of demands for immediate action:

  • The Committee should issue a statement that reaffirms UNESCO’s recognition of the ownership rights of the Greek Orthodox Church to the Monastery of Saint Catherine and its outlying properties.
  • The Committee should also validate the information from independent and trusted sources that the site is facing several of the WHC recognised primary factors affecting the site, including development, transportation, social, legal and institutional, that threaten its Outstanding Universal Values (OUVs).
  • The WHC must insist on a joint UNESCO/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring Mission visit the Site within 3 months of the end of the WHC meeting.
  • Depending on the results of the Reactive Monitoring Mission the WHC must then consider the possibility of inscribing the Property on the List of World Heritage in Danger and certainly if the mission fails to be conducted within the proposed time frame.

UNESCO has yet to publicly respond to the letter, but deliberations are expected later this week as the World Heritage Committee convenes.

Cretan Convention - Web Banner

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Loverdos wraps up Australian visit in Perth, celebrating Hellenic heritage and ANZAC friendship

Ioannis Loverdos has concluded his official tour of Australia and New Zealand with a visit to Perth, Western Australia.

Alleged child abductor placed in protective custody after Coburg church, pharmacy incident

A man, accused of attempting to abduct two children in Coburg, has been placed in protective custody amid concerns for his safety.

Jerusalem Patriarch welcomes US Vice President JD Vance to the Holy Sepulchre

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem received US Vice President JD Vance and his wife at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Thursday.

SA Attorney-General reveals reasons for appeal against Snowtown killer’s parole

SA’s Attorney-General has detailed the reasons behind his decision to appeal the Parole Board’s release of Snowtown killer James Vlassakis.

Konstantinos Argiros raises $150k for new Children’s Gallery at Melbourne’s Hellenic Museum

Konstantinos Argiros has raised $150,000 to support the creation of the Hellenic Museum's forthcoming Children’s Gallery, opening in 2026.

You May Also Like

Phil Kafcaloudes’ new survey looks at why some Greeks anglicise their surnames

When many immigrants, among them Greeks, arrived in Australia after World War II, a lot of them opted to change their last names.

Maroubra mum, Gaye Xenos, wants kids back at school earlier than October 25

Maroubra mum, Gaye Xenos, wants her 10-year-old daughter, Olivia, and 15-year-old daughter, Natalia, back at school sooner than October 25.

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese appoints new Chairman of St Basil’s Victoria

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia announced that the Chairman of St Basil's in Victoria, Mr Konstantinos Kontis, has resigned from his position, yet will remain a member of the board.